Budget report card

Good on legislative reforms, patchy on execution

Last year’s Union Budget was hailed for its commitment to fiscal prudence, especially as the finance minister had to sew a Budget around the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, which allocated a significantly higher proportion of resources to the states. But the Budget also marked a clear shift in the Narendra Modi-led government’s priorities — bijli, sadak, cooking gas and rural housing received much attention. It was clear that the government was lining itself up for the elections in 2019 and focussing on welfare schemes that most affected the poor, as against the so-called neo-middle class. The implementation of