What FM Sitharaman may and may not do in her promised 'never-before' Budget

Wish lists are routine as the govt prepares its annual Budget. But its finances are stretched and the pandemic isn't over. Akash Podishetty lists what the FM could announce in the Budget on Feb 1

The Union Budget on February 1 will aim to revive India's economy, which is projected to contract by 7.7 per cent in 2020-21, according to the government's first advance estimate. The economy was slowing down even before the Covid-19 pandemic grounded growth. It improved in the second quarter of the current financial year (FY21) after enduring a blow in the first quarter, but the impact of the pandemic could last long. Rating agency Fitch sees medium-term growth between FY23-FY26 to be at around 6.5 per cent a year.

In this context, the Budget’s fiscal thrust will be decisive in helping