Impetus for the agriculture sector is welcome, and provisions to provide income security to marginalised farmers and enhance disposable income for the middle-class augurs well for India’s consumption story.
No key measure being announced to increase the government’s revenue is a bit of a dampener as concerns around the fiscal deficit need to be addressed with a sense of urgency.
The Narendra Modi government’s continued focus on infrastructure development, including in the energy sector and the blue economy are big positives; sectors like education and health care could do with further stimuli.
India needs to have sustainable growth, fueled by an entrepreneurial mindset in its heartland. While it is a positive that MSMEs have been kept in mind, impetus for the start-up community is also the need of the hour.
Overall, it is a directional Budget, with the intent to strengthen India's future. As an interim Budget, it is balanced and growth-oriented, with measures to meet short term objectives and also with a long term vision.