The third Union Budget that was presented last week by India’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) formation at the Centre is a mixed bag and retains an overall conservative outlook in terms of checking the fiscal deficit (i.e. curbing government spending) with a significant push to infrastructure.
Overall, the Budget continues to adopt a conservative approach of fiscal consolidation aiming for a fiscal deficit target of 3.9% of GDP. True to its commitment to being pro-growth (the country’s economic growth is pegged at 7.2 %1 ), the government has steadfastly kept its word as most of the announcements have focused on infrastructure creation that cornered 12.4 % of the total budgetary outlay. Let me focus on three “hits” and three big “misses”.
Three “Hits”
Three Big “Misses”
Thus, the proposals for basic essential services such as healthcare and education on the one hand, and a progressive tax structure (that has a higher share of direct taxes)on the other, should be the main instrument for addressing inequality. Having in place quality, government-financed essential services bridges a critical “access” gap confronting the most marginalised. And it is only fair to proportionately tax those with higher incomes over having a uniform tax structure that impacts the rich and the poor alike. The fact that this Budget failed to address both of these aspects only poses the question whether this was a missed opportunity for the government to check growing extreme inequality.
Furthermore, a vital announcement to do away with the Plan and Non-Plan4 classification of expenditure (to coincide with the last year of the 12th Five Year Plan) needs more clarity. The special provisions in the Budget related to the marginalised communities, (the Dalits and Adivasis) such as the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan and the Tribal Sub Plan5 are limited to Plan spending. It remains unclear what will happen to these provisions once the distinction is done away with. As is well-known, social discrimination continues to be a critical driver of inequality in the country.
In sum, a budget document is essentially much more than an accounts statement of the government; it outlines the policy priorities and vision of the government. Even though the FM quoted Swami Vivekananda on how the neglect of masses was a national sin and that it was vital everyone was well-educated, well-fed and well cared for, a quick analysis reveals that some of the necessary ingredients, of social inclusion and ensuring equitable development for all, remain de-prioritised.
Written by Pooja Parvati, Research Manager at Oxfam India
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1 http://indiabudget.nic.in/es2014-15/echapter-vol1.pdf
2Jan Aushadhi loosely translates to People’s Medicine
3http://indianexpress.com/article/business/budget/union-budget-2016-mgnrega-allocation-hiked-by-rs-3800-crore/
4 Plan expenditure was the spending on all the schemes that were part of the Five Year planning process. India has had 12 Five Year Plans. The current government dismantled the Planning Commission that was in charge of the Plan priorities and funding. Non-Plan expenditure denotes all other regular expenses for upkeep and maintenance. For instance, salaries of government employees, expenses incurred by government agencies, defense spending etc.
5The Scheduled Caste Sub Plan and the Tribal Sub Plan are budgetary provisions that mandate governments, both at the Centre and States, to allocate budgetary resources exclusively for the Dalits and Adivasis respectively proportionate to their share in the total population. The Dalits comprise 16 % and Adivasis are 8 % of the country’s population. The SCSP and TSP have been around 9 % and 5 % respectively.
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