-Press release by Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA) dated 1st February, 2020 New Delhi, February 1st 2020: A thorough analysis of the Budget shows that even though the Budget speech spoke much about Agriculture and Rural sector and a 16-point program, the allocations for the Rural Economy were in fact slashed in this Budget compared to previous year. The Budget allocation for Agriculture, Allied sectors and Irrigation in 2020-21...

-The Hindu Low allocations and specific policy statements point to greater privatisation and withdrawal of the state Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman began her speech by saying that the Union Budget was “woven around three prominent themes” — aspirational India, economic development for all and building a caring society. Achieving any of these would require extraordinary efforts on the social sector front starting with allocating additional resources for health, education, nutrition, employment...

-The Indian Express The Economic Survey 2020, prepared by Chief Economic Advisor Dr Krishnamurthy Subramanian, was tabled by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament Friday. The Economic Survey 2020 projected an Economic Growth of 6 to 6.5 per cent in the fiscal year starting April 1. The survey, prepared by Chief Economic Advisor Dr Krishnamurthy Subramanian, was tabled by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament Friday. The survey put current fiscal...

-The Indian Express The BJP leaders, however, said they hope the Budget may be able to instill some confidence and arrest the current downward slide. While the BJP has publicly ratcheted up heat against CAA-NPR-NRC protests with an eye on Delhi elections, several responsible functionaries within the party and the government privately acknowledge that economic slowdown as the real concern. “The biggest fear is if growth doesn’t pick up, it will spill onto...

-The Hindu Any fiscal deficit needs to ideally redirect spending priorities to capital from consumption With revenue receipts lagging behind budget estimates and Economic Growth slowing sharply, there is a real risk of the Centre missing its fiscal deficit target this year. In a discussion moderated by Suresh Seshadri, N.R. Bhanumurthy and Ajit Ranade look at how the Union Budget may approach the fiscal balancing act in the face of a need...