Budget 2018: Arun Jaitley focuses on Bharat despite fiscal challenges

The measures particularly in agriculture may not be enough to revive the sector and double the farm income

Bharat, particularly agriculture, has been under distress in the past few years partly due to two years of drought. In fact, the average growth rate of agricultural GDP in the past four years (2014-15 to 2017-18) was only 2.2 per cent per annum. The Economic Survey 2017-18 also indicates that the level of agricultural GDP and real agricultural revenues have remained constant in the past four years. In this context, one expected a big push for agriculture and rural areas. The Finance Minister has not disappointed in giving focus to Bharat in spite of fiscal challenges.