Two popular words — ‘worker’ and ‘labourer’ were absent in the finance minister’s speech. This signifies a paternalistic approach to workers where workers are not holders of any legitimate rights over re-distributed wealth. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s speech while presenting Budget 2022 is littered with words, ‘jobs’ and ‘employment’. The words reflect the core ideological position of the budget. What[Read More...]
Key points of analysis by constituents of Vikalp Sangam This analysis looks at the environmental implications of India’s Union Budget 2022-23 in three dimensions: Direct allocations for Environment Indirect allocations for Environment in non-environment sectors Allocations for other sectors with environmental impacts Overall, the picture is bleak. There are some welcome allocations and indications of shifts in thinking (e.g. in[Read More...]
In her Union Budget 2022 speech on February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the issuance of sovereign green bonds during the upcoming fiscal year. “As a part of the government’s overall market borrowings in 2022-23, sovereign green bonds will be issued for mobilizing resources for green infrastructure. The proceeds will be deployed in public sector projects which help in[Read More...]
The unceasing bench thumping in the parliament at the treasury benches on the budget day, gave an impression as if the budget was packed with a pile of path breaking initiatives. But the facts speak otherwise. There is nothing much to commend in the budget. Once again, like the government’s previous budgets, the present budget has little to show by[Read More...]
The Right to Food Campaign is dismayed to see that, at this time of deep crisis the Union Budget 2022-23 has actually reduced the government spending on the social sector by a huge extent. The negative impact of the economic crisis that began even before the pandemic led to disruption has fallen disproportionately on those at the bottom of the[Read More...]
Even in Pandemic Times, Health Allocations Have Been Far Short of Real Needs One of the most glaring flaws of India’s fiscal policy which has faced severe criticism relates to less than adequate allocation for health sector. Raising combined annual spending by the centre and states on health to at least 2.5% of the GDP has been mentioned often as[Read More...]
