Union budget 2019: Here is the round up

New Delhi: The budget presented by any government is meant to benefit the common man so as to make his or her life better, which is why unpacking the budget cannot and will not be a complex exercise.

The finance minister, Piyush Goyal, presented the budget which was supposed to be an interim one. It should have clarity on the running of daily affairs till the new government is formed after the general elections, scheduled in the first quarter of this year. The budget should have, ideally and ethically, done away with missions, agendas and long term plans as it has not been mandated for them because it was an interim budget. But, politics is actually what you get, when, how and why: no political party in power would mind using the given space and time for reaching out to people to influence public opinion.

Proper paragraphing was made while reading out the budget. Piyush Goyal, had a glass of water before him on his table. After each sip, he would come with a different subject. After the subject ended he would drink another sip of water. Ten major areas were covered in the budget.

• From the youth which makes around more than 60 percent of the total population to the old aged people, almost all segments and various communities were given a sense that their interests were being taken care of
• With every component, a comparison was drawn between what it had been during the earlier dispensations particularly the UPA one: What it had been in 2013 and what it had achieved.
• Bad banking was what the minister emphasized. While dwelling on transparency in the banking sector by recognizing NPA's (non performing assets) and sharing the information regarding the recognition of NPA's, the minister was greeted with applause by his colleagues in the house. In fact, prime minister Narendra Modi too was seen beating his table as a mark of appreciation. Through the prism of economy, NPA's can only be a liability which is a burden and deserve no celebration but introspection
• The amalgamation of banks was one of the achievements mentioned in the budget. The only merger that has happened has been in western part of India. The merger was called as reformation in the banking system though the amalgamation has not taken place elsewhere
• The tax slab has been increased to 5 lakhs making it easy for the present dispensation to justify the 10 percent reservation for the general category does not fall in tax payer category which was actually looked at critically when the announcement was made by the NDA government recently
• The rural urban divide: It was promised that the lives of the rural folk would improve
• The budget covered almost every segment of the society and tried to persuade them that if the government would continue, their interests would be secured. The commitment, of making people's lives better was made. Farmers are to be paid Rs 6000 annually and small time farmers owning around 2 hectares of land would benefit through direct income support
• The exclusive fisheries department will increase the efficiency of fish production as the minister in the parliament said that India produces six percent of global production of fish and sought to increase production
• Sipping water intermittently, clearing his throat, the minister said that the NDA government planned to cover the unorganized workers through a pension scheme and would ensure they earn at least Rs 3000 as pension thus securing their livelihood after they grow weak and old
• Ethnic minorities were also talked about with their interests to be secured by the welfare development board. Tribals would be recognized by the board and benefitted accordingly. Pertinently, a tribal girl was raped and brutally killed in Kathua last year and sitting MLA of BJP held a rally in support of the accused.
• The cow benefit scheme which will ensure 'gau mata' are protected under this scheme. "Uttar Pradesh is facing lot of challenges through stray cows and the state government has asked police officer of each police station to take care of at least one cow," said Sudhir, a journalist from UP
• Digital India is the dream of this government and the budget which was presented had more than three pages to discuss about the data that is consumed by netizens thereby making India the lowest consumer of voice call data
• Through the implicit reiteration of military might vis a vis surgical strikes, the minister brought the Bollywood film 'Uri' in the context and praised it, announcing some sops for cinema goers
• Hygiene remained one of the top priorities of the budget with the minister saying that the mission this government has is to clean rivers, subsequently making clean water available for drinking purposes
• Goyal claimed the budget was inclusive but religious minorities not finding them in the entire document put the very credibility of the claim in question and there may be many more things which this budget should have covered may come into light in coming day ahead