#WATCH# Budget Unlocked: Self-reliance to self-confidence

While India Inc and the stock markets gave a clear thumbs up to the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 1st February, 2021, many wondered what’s in it for the common man.

Budget Unlocked – an exclusive TV9 Network series – brings to the fore, the Budget impact on the common man with Rajya Sabha MP Ashwini Vaishnaw decoding the fine print.

Through his deep insights, Vaishnaw helps break down this complex policy proposal into simple, usable and meaningful analysis for the citizen.

On the tax front, the Budget did not introduce the much-feared Covid cess. Nor were there any tax additions for compensating for the government’s increased expenditure on healthcare in 2020-21 due to the ongoing pandemic. On the contrary, additional spends have been committed by the Finance Minister, ignoring fiscal concerns.

Vaishnaw argues that the ‘once-in-a-century’ budget has indeed lived up to all expectations.

Through every policy decision, from manufacturing to infrastructure development, Vaishnaw explains how Budget 2021 will eventually deliver one primary goal – employment generation for Indians.

The pandemic-hit Indian economy is expected to witness a V-shaped recovery in the coming year. Estimates suggest the growth rate would be anywhere between 10.5% to 11.5%. Vaishnaw demystifies the impact of GDP growth for the citizens’ wallets and wellbeing.

Through the Budget Unlocked series, Vaishnaw has delved into every nuance of Budget 2021 and decoded it threadbare for the citizen to comprehend and appreciate. Here are some highlights of Vaishnaw’s perspective presented in this series finale video:

• Budget 2021 – Giving a new direction to the economy
• Middle class to get the most from Budget 2021 in the long term
• Unchanged tax regime, despite excessive government spending
• Startups, youth and MSMEs at the centre of Budget 2021
• EPF tax only for the rich
• Social sector reforms – piped gas and electricity to be delivered
• Infrastructure and manufacturing sectors to add jobs in the post-Budget economy
• Healthcare spending and impact on citizens’ quality of life
• Self-reliance to self-confidence – how Budget 2021 will lead to transformation

(Views expressed in this video are of Ashwini Vaishnaw, Rajya Sabha MP.)