Union Budget 2023 | Budget should focus on falling imports, impact of slowdown: Chidambaram
Senior Congress leader and former Union finance minister P Chidambaram on Monday said that the BJP-led central government in its upcoming budget should focus on addressing issues like the impact of the global slowdown on economic growth, falling exports, increase in the current account deficit (CAD) and mounting total government debt.
He said that the Union Budget should also focus on the danger of falling consumption leading to lower standards of living due to high unemployment rate, layoffs and inflation.
Chidambaram said that though he has high expectations from the Budget, he is also "prepared for great disappointment".
Union Budget 2023 | Expectations running high as Sitharaman gears up to present her 5th Budget
With Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman getting ready to present the last full budget of the Modi 2.0 government, expectations are high that she will meet the demands of all stakeholders, including the common man who is reeling under the price rise.
The finance minister has held several rounds of discussions with various stakeholders, and final touches are being given to the Union Budget for 2023-24 which will be unveiled in the Lok Sabha on February 1.
"The Budget to be announced will be an exercise of managing several objectives: movement to fiscal prudence, stimulating growth without accompanying inflation, garnering more resources through non-tax measures and providing sops where necessary.
"As all these objectives would run in different directions, the FM will exercise considerable dexterity to move ahead decisively on all counts," said Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist, Bank of Baroda.