Rail Budget 2024, did tracks twist, hopes take a Detour? Sudhanshu Mani
Rail Budget 2024 Did tracks twist, hopes take a detour ? Sudhanshu Mani The interim budget, strategically positioned before general elections, serves the purpose of obtaining authorization for spending from the Consolidated Fund of India until the presentation of the full-fledged general budget by the newly-elected government. Ideally, it should refrain from announcing populist measures; however, historical trends reveal a tendency to utilize this platform for such declarations while also highlighting the government's accomplishments over the preceding five years. In the case of the interim budget delivered by Piyush Goyal in February 2019, schemes involving direct payments to farmers and workers in unorganized sectors were unveiled, with the benefits retroactively effective from January 2019. Anticipations were rife that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman might introduce new or augmented schemes. While outlining the government's commitment to inclusive growth...