With a few days ahead of the upcoming budget, through this article, we are going to analyse whether the promises were futile or not. The last budget was different from all other budgets presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, this is because most of her budgets were presented while the ruling party enjoyed a clear majority, but that wasn’t the case the last time.
It’s been around 6 months since Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the last budget. It indeed contained a comprehensive roadmap of the union’s plan for the growth and remodeling of the country. But were all the promises made by the union fulfilled? In this article, we will be analyzing the promises that were not fulfilled.
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Part 1 of this article deals with the promises that were fulfilled. To know more read: https://www.taxscan.in/budget-progress-report-fy2024-2025-were-the-promises-kept-part-1/481257/.
Here, we will be analysing the drawbacks in the previous budget, which has made the impacts futile. India, is a highly populated country, it is important to allocate adequate funds on things that actually matter.
The budget allocation for the health sector for the financial year ( FY ) 2024-25 was Rs. 88,287 crores, which was only a small increase from the previous year’s budget. However, after adjusting for an average inflation rate of 6%, the real allocation indicates a contraction.
Despite the National Health Policy’s goal of 2.5% of GDP spending on healthcare by 2025, the current allocation remains below 1.3%. While the National Health Mission saw a marginal increase, major programs like immunization remain underfunded. High out-of-pocket healthcare expenses persist, especially for low-income families, further pushing millions into poverty.
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For millions of rural families across India, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is more than just a normal government program and it is their last hope for survival during hard times.
From drought-hit farmers to landless labourers, countless people depend on the promise of 100 days of guaranteed work to put food on the table. But this year, the government has once again allocated Rs. 86,000 crore, the same as last year, despite the rising cost of living and growing demand for work. With wages delayed, payments stuck in bureaucratic red tape, and thousands of pending arrears, the scheme is failing those who need it most.
The very people MGNREGS was meant to protect are left with nothing, no jobs, no wages, and no security. A program that once gave dignity to rural workers is now struggling due to neglect. Without an urgent increase in funding and a commitment to timely wage payments, India’s poorest will be pushed even further into despair, pushing them into a vicious cycle of poverty.
A house is more than just four walls and a roof and it’s security, dignity, and a foundation for a better future. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) was launched with the promise of providing every rural family with a home of their own. But for many, that dream remains painfully out of reach. Last year’s budget failed to increase funding for the scheme, even though lakhs of families are still waiting for their homes. Reports from villages tell stories of incomplete houses, poor-quality construction, and families forced to live in makeshift shelters because their names were left off the beneficiary list.
The scheme has helped many, but without an increase in funds and stricter oversight, thousands of deserving families will continue to be excluded. The dream of ‘housing for all’ will remain just as a dream.
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By virtue of Article 21 A of our constitution, it is a basic right of children to get access to good education, a classroom where they can learn and grow, and teachers who can guide them towards a brighter future. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 promised transformational reforms, but the reality is far from it. The budget allocated only 0.37% of GDP to education, which is sadly nowhere close to the promised 6%.
Schools in rural areas are facing severe issues with a lack of classrooms and facilities, teachers are overburdened, and lakhs of children, especially from marginalized communities, are dropping out simply because there aren’t enough resources to support their learning. The government’s flagship education scheme, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, received only a tiny increase of Rs. 47 crore, which is undoubtedly too little to make any real difference in students’ lives.
In many villages, schools lack basic facilities like toilets, drinking water, or even enough teachers. Students sit on the floor, struggling to read from outdated textbooks. Despite their best efforts, families are forced to pull their children out of school because they can’t afford fees or transportation. Without proper investment in education, India is failing its youth, the very generation that is supposed to take the country forward. The promise of universal education is meaningless if children don’t even have a chance to stay in school.
Source: Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA)
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