ISAS Briefs

India's latest Budget focuses on the rural sector and the economically vulnerable sections and makes large allocations for agriculture and social sector programmes without compromising on fiscal discipline. It also shows the intention of the Narendra Modi Government to acquire a pro-farmer and poor-friendly image by deploying politically powerful economic tools like rural employment guarantee and direct transfer of subsidies. These measures, initially employed by the previous Congress administrations, are now being used by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for securing political capital.