Govt Pushes Back on Budget Barbs: "Debate Numbers, Not Narratives"
Politics
N
News18•01-02-2026, 17:17
Govt Pushes Back on Budget Barbs: "Debate Numbers, Not Narratives"
- •Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive Union Budget, focusing on a long-term vision for Viksit Bharat 2047.
- •Stock markets reacted negatively, attributed by the government to increased Securities Transaction Tax (STT) in F&O segment to discourage retail speculation.
- •The budget included strategic allocations for defence and targeted overtures to poll-bound states, such as special announcements for coconut cultivation in Tamil Nadu.
- •A major political flashpoint arose from the renaming of MGNREGA to Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, with sub-schemes incorporating 'Shri Ram' branding.
- •Opposition leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Mamata Banerjee, criticized the renaming as ideological overreach and a 'Badla' (Revenge) Budget, while Sitharaman urged debate based on facts and figures.
Why It Matters: Govt defends budget against opposition criticism, urging focus on facts and figures over political narratives.
✦
More like this
Loading more articles...
