Development strategy & Budget

Fiscal prudence, compliance and simplification - however desirable - are too narrow as a focus for policy design

On February 1, 2019, the finance minister will present the final Budget of this administration. It should be an interim Budget as this is an election year and the regular Budget for the 2019-20 should be presented after the general election. However, Arun Jaitley will use this occasion to present a report card on the management of fiscal policy over the past five years. Judging by recent pronouncements, in a departure from established practice for pre-election budgets, he will also use the occasion to make some announcements of expenditure proposals and policies designed to win electoral support.
 
The report