Union Budget 2019-20: A peek into the many challenges Sitharaman faces

Expectations are high from the Budget, given that Prime Minister Narendra Modi came back to power following a bigger mandate than his first term

Two days from now, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her maiden budget, becoming only the second woman, after Indira Gandhi, to do so. Expectations are high from the Union Budget 2019-20, given that Prime Minister Narendra Modi came back to power following a bigger mandate than his first term. As such, Sitharaman will have to face a tough balancing act, as she looks to boost growth.

The challenges Sitharaman faces are many. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth slumped to a five-year-low of 5.8 per cent in the January-March quarter, as India lost its tag of the world’s fastest growing