On February 1st 2022, the Finance Minister of India, Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman presented the financial budget for the financial year 2021-2022. It was a well-sought-after budget this time as the world is recovering from the biggest pandemic of the century as well we had seen a terrible second wave as well as the upcoming state assembly elections. On 31st January, the minister had submitted the Economic Survey for the year 2021-2022. 
The entire budget was paperless and was readout out from a tablet PC. The theme was the Economic
blueprint for the next 25 years— India at 75 to India at 100.
Major announcements from the Budget Speech 
- Fiscal Deficit target- 6.4%
 - Error correction in Income Tax fillings to be allowed
 - Tax deduction limit raised for State govt employees for NPS fund to be increased to 14%
 - Digital Assets will be taxed 30% 
 - SEZ Act to be replaced with new legislation for investment and support to companies
 - The budget laid out a roadmap for Digitisation as a whole as for digital payments.
 - National Tele Mental Health Program to be launched 
 - Major push for Transport infrastructure called as Gatishakti with seven engines. 
 - 5G to be deployed by this year
 - A new EV swapping policy announced
 - PLI scheme to create 60 lakh jobs
 - Push for hospitality services post-pandemic
 - Post-offices to be an area of focus for banking
 - PM Awaaz Yojana housing policy to be extended 
 - Expected 9.2% growth rate
 
Major Takeaways 
- PLI scheme to create 60 lakh jobs
 - Ayush Ministry receives ₹3,000 Cr.
 
Railways
- Over 2000km of Railway network will be brought under Kavach System
 - Over 400 new Vandebharat train services will be started. 
 - Over 100 cargo terminals over 3 years. 
 - Metro projects get ₹19,000 Cr.
 
Roadways
- 25,000 km expansion with ₹16,000 Cr funds. 
 - ₹1500 Cr for NorthEast 
 - Parvatmala Project 
 - Ken Betwa project for ₹1,400 Cr 
 - Energy as a Service business opportunity and EV swapping policy with interoperability. 
 
 Digital Push - India's first digital currency- Digital Rupee will be released in next year. This will use Blockchain based technology. 
 - E-billing system in Central Ministries. 
 - Digital Education- One Class One TV. PM E Vidya Scheme. 
 - DESH upskilling portal launched. 
 - E-passports to have embedded chips technologies.
 
Technology 
- Domestic manufacturing of Solar Cells energy modules.
 - Sovereign Green bonds to be issued
 - Duty concessions for electronic components.
 - Use of Kisan specific drones for farming
 - Optic Fibre Cable rollout in every village by 2025 
 - Ministry of Science and Technology receives ₹14,000 Cr
 
Criticisms 
There is widespread criticism mainly from the opposition that the budget is corporate friendly, anti-poor, anti-farmer, anti-middle class. Certain states were ignored and received nothing from the budget. 
Analysis 
Irrespective of your opinion regarding the budget, we can see that there is a massive push for infrastructure, development, transportation etc. Apart from that, another notable aspect is that it's a digital budget, with a lot of push for technology and digital initiatives. This is an important push for progressiveness and modernisation. There has been no change in tax slabs which is a really good consistency. We hope India will achieve good economic growth and this budget will pave for a better future. 
Credits- MoneyControl, DD News, The Indian Express, Bloomberg Quint.
Content Credits- Unnamalai (Check out their blog) 
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