Budget 2018: Imprints of a govt unsure of second term with clear majority

Arun Jaitley's fifth Budget has the fingerprints of a worried, impatient government not as sure of a second term with a clear majority; thankfully, it is not irresponsible

Sleep metaphors have always been popular in describing central budgets. These are variously called “dream” or “nightmare” budgets, usually depending on which side you are on, in the government or the opposition. It would be reasonable to say, however, that the NDA government’s final full budget in this term is a “restless” budget.
 
We prefer restless, because “rattled” is too strong a description yet, although it is the budget put together by a worried, impatient government not as sure of a second term with a clear majority as might have been six months earlier.
 
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