BJP lawmakers expects that the budget will bring relief to the pain caused by the note ban

Now as the Narendra Modi led government is done with winter session of the Parliament, the next thing in focus is the forthcoming Budget. And according to the prime minister’s recent speeches, the focus this time is likely to be the poor, middle-class and the business community — three categories which have borne the most severe brunt of the demonetisation drive.

Modi dropped broad hints when he told BJP lawmakers on the last day of the Parliament session that his three priorities would be providing welfare for the poor, less exploitation of the middle-class and minimising harassment to the business community.

According to many law makers, it is expected that the next Budget to provide some sops to people inconvenienced by the currency ban. They also said Prime Minister is going to be focused on the Budget till February 1 and it t is going to be a revolutionary Budget.

Enhancing planned public expenditure remains another focus with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Jaitley has ramped up Plan expenditure by over 30% from about Rs 4.5 lakh crore at the end of UPA-II with a budgeted estimate of about Rs 5.94 lakh crore during the first two fiscals since Modi came to power. BJP chief Amit Shah, too, is learnt to be rooting for increasing planned expenditure.

During the meeting of BJP’s office bearers on December 15, Shah is learnt to have rooted for substantial ramping up of planned expenditure.