President Droupadi Murmu may not have been able to relieve Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s boredom with her address on the opening day of Parliament’s Budget Session, but she did chart out effectively the course of action the government intends to take. This also involved reminding members about what has been achieved in the past and the direction this gives to the nation. Even a brief telling required a substantial effort, evoking sympathy from veteran MP Sonia Gandhi on how tired the ‘poor lady’ had become. Quite clearly, the necessary attention was not being paid to the substance of the speech because it will not play much of a role in the opposition’s scheme of things.
The Union Government continuously reiterates PM Modi’s motto of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’ as the basis for the development model. This involves not just the welfare elements of governance, but also the enabling ones that provide the means for people to make their contributions without which the declared objectives cannot be achieved. A primary focus has been on infrastructure development regarding which there has been a consistent policy over the NDA Government’s three terms. Housing, health, education, digitalisation, manufacturing, encouraging entrepreneurship and indigenisation efforts have been ongoing on a scale never before witnessed. There are continuous attempts at reforms in the effort to break out of the constrictions of the past, requiring a broader consensus, which has been harder to find.
The Economic Survey, also presented in Parliament, today, presents the picture of a healthy economy despite the numerous challenges faced domestically and globally. All the required parameters have been maintained, indicating good fiscal management. This provides a sound base for whatever next steps the government might wish to take for the coming year – be it in terms of tax reform or budgetary allocations.
India’s growth has been criticised in recent years for not generating the required number of jobs. Actually, it is only in the manufacturing sector that the indicators are not good in this regard. There are various ways in which this challenge can be met but will require a collaborative effort between the Centre and the states. Too many state governments are caught up in the mindsets of the past that oppose land, labour and regulatory reforms. Till such time the essential message of President Murmu’s speech is understood, the march forward towards progress will remain hindered.
