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‘Most crucial budget after 1991 but may get a talkathon’: Manish Tewari jabs Nirmala Sitharaman
Budget 2021, which is Sitharaman’s third, is likely to focus on health and employment generation and may revolve around the philosophy of “growth with a human touch,” people familiar with the development told HT.
Congress leader Manish Tewari took a swipe at Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who will present the budget for the fiscal year 2021-22 on Monday, saying if the Economic Survey 2020-21 that was tabled in the Lok Sabha last week is to anything to go by then the budget may be a “Talkathon of fluff sans any substance.”
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He said that this was the most crucial budget since 1991 as the GDP has been declining for almost three years now and hoped that the finance minister realised the gravity of the times. “This is the most crucial budget after 1991. GDP is in the 37 th straight month of Decline. I do hope @nsitharaman acknowledges the seriousness of the situation. However if economic Survey was anything to go by then all you may get is a Talkathon of fluff sans any substance,” the Congress’ Member of Parliament from Anandpur Sahib wrote on Twitter.
The post comes hours before Sitharaman’s budget presentation at 11am in Parliament. As the country reels from the coronavirus pandemic, the finance minister’s budget will be a continuation of the stimulus packages earlier last year to cope with the Covid-19 crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. Earlier this month, the finance minister had claimed that the budget for the financial year starting April will be “like never before.”
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According to the Economic Survey tabled in Parliament on Friday, the economy’s growth is projected at 11% in the next financial year despite a 7.7% contraction forecast for the current financial year.
Budget 2021, which is Sitharaman’s third, is likely to focus on health and employment generation and may revolve around the philosophy of “growth with a human touch,” people familiar with the development told HT.
Big infrastructure projects, assistance to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and making India self-reliant to become a key player in the global supply chain are also likely to be key features of Sitharaman’s budget.
Though several opposition parties boycotted the President’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament on Friday, the parties including Congress may join two key debates on the President’s speech and the Union Budget, according to people aware of the developments.
