Tax & Spend
What to Watch Out for in India’s Pre-Election Budget
- Economists expect government to trim fiscal deficit further
- India’s economy seen growing at 7% in the next fiscal year
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will likely use India’s last budget before the elections to woo voters with new spending measures, while avoiding a fiscal deficit increase.
The economy’s rapid expansion has led to a tax windfall for the government, helping it meet its goals of curbing the deficit. That means Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who will deliver her sixth budget speech on Feb. 1, has scope to keep infrastructure spending going and take targeted steps to support Modi’s priority sectors for the elections: farmers, women, the poor and young people.