Watch: Union Budget 2024 | What are the political implications?
In a Budget speech sans poetry but filled with political pragmatism, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman kept her focus on addressing youth unemployment, while also offering special packages to keep crucial allies — the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) governing Andhra Pradesh, and the Janata Dal (U) in power in Bihar — on her side.
Rising unemployment, the lack of avenues to government jobs, and the leakage of question papers for recruitment exams even when vacancies were announced were all issues that weighed heavily on the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha election. In the Union Budget for this year, therefore, this sector has been addressed via a series of incentive schemes that will, it is hoped, help young, first-time job seekers with finding employment.
Script and Presentation: Nistula Hebbar
Production: Kanishkaa Balachandiran and Yuvasree S