Why figures went missing from Sitharaman’s budget speeches
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s last three budget speeches were marked by an absence of key figures that had in the past aided in articulating the government’s priorities and, sometimes, to justify a long-term goal that posed short term difficulties.
Rabindra Nath Tagore, Kalidas, Shakespeare and other poets who lent a helping hand in the past to the finance ministers of the day, have not made it to budget speeches since 2022. But at the same time, Sitharaman’s speeches have shed the formal tone of some of her predecessors to embrace a more futuristic approach, signalling the medium- and long-term development vision of the NDA government, while echoing the aspirations of people—not just at the macro level, but identifying with the last man in the queue.
On 1 February, when Sitharaman rises to present her eighth budget in a row, a direct, succinct and visionary approach is expected to play out, highlighting the growth priorities outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seeking to make an emotional connect with people, amid challenges of inflation, moderating growth and unemployment. Also read | Budget 2025: Money for developing high-yielding, climate-resilient seeds Experts said they expect references to 'Amrit Kal’, ‘Vikasit Bharat,’ ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat,’ ‘Nari Shakti,’ ‘Kisan Samman’ and ‘PM Gatishakti’—catchphrases that seek to convey government goals as Sitharaman seeks to deliver a development and reform vision along with targeted measures.
The speech is expected to sound proactive in announcing steps aimed at supporting the economy’s targeted ascent to becoming the third largest in the world, while also making references to its resilience, they said. Will a
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