The finance minister, nonetheless, has his task cut out due to the need for accelerated growth, meeting the needs of badly-hit segments and rural India, and simultaneously, ensuring that the government's already high fiscal deficit remains under control. Markets will also be keenly watching out for signals that indicate the government's stance on key economic policies.
Striking the right balance
In an environment of slowing growth in India and abroad, the Budget is expected to take steps to revive domestic demand with a thrust on accelerating infrastructure spending (more importantly, to clear hurdles and speed up the pace of project execution).
There is also a strong belief that export-oriented and labour intensive sectors (textiles, apparels, gems, jewellery, leather) will receive extra attention.
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