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The run-up to this year’s Union Budget was chaotic. The global environment was threatening to turn from bad to worse, with the United States poised to unleash a trade war.
Domestically, there were clear signs that the post-covid recovery was losing steam. On top of this, tax overreach was testing everyone’s patience, particularly the middle class.
On 1 February though, it was as though Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had flipped a switch.
The highlight of the Budget was her Rs 1 lakh crore tax giveaways to the middle class. However, the FM’s eighth Budget had lots more.
To unpack insights into the Budget, StratNews.Tech spoke to Arvind Virmani, member NITI Aayog and former chief economic advisor in the finance ministry on Capital Calculus.