#BolIndiaBol: If the Union Budget was just Rs 100, how would it be spent?

Today is the day when Indian tax payers will know where their money is going to be utilised. Today is also the day when they will begin planning their personal finances.

Now, what if the government had a budget of Rs 100? How would the common citizen want that money to be spent? Here’s my take.

Rs 15 for Defence and Internal Security

The Government of India has faced flak for spending more on defence than on development and social issues. However, I still consider this expense important because we have tense relations with China and Pakistan. Though we try to be politically correct, chant slogans like “India China Bhai Bhai” and promote programmes like ‘Aman ki Asha’ in an attempt to improve our ties, things really aren’t as simple as all that. The numerous ceasefire violations and border disputes are a testimony to the need for a substantial defense outlay. We have also been scarred by terrorist attacks; to prevent a recurrence of such attacks, defence spending is inevitable.

 Rs 5 for Defence R&D 

While we import a lot of defence equipment, I think it’s time we began to explore our own expertise. There isn’t a dearth of talent or expertise; we just have to open up the right opportunities. Spending on research and development in this area will help us tackle the country’s unique security issues. It would also help to save a lot of the money we would otherwise spend on defence imports.

 Rs 10 for Subsidies

This includes subsidies on anything from LPG, electricity, automobiles and electronics for the common citizen to rice at Rs 1 for people below the poverty line. A majority of citizens would not be able to sustain their expenses if the subsidies were to be removed.

 Rs 10 for Agriculture

The tables have turned. We don’t want agriculture produces laden with pesticides. Informed citizens especially in the metros are going organic. It’s time to help farmers go back to the traditional farming methods. This would mean slightly less produce in terms of quantity, but definitely better quality. That’s why it’s so important to offer financial support to farmers.

Also, we now need to start incentivising farming. With increasing expansion of industries and special economic zones (SEZ), agricultural land is diminishing. Many families have moved out from farming because it is no longer sustainable. We need to reverse that trend. We need to be self-sustaining and that too in a healthy way.

Rs 2 for R&D in Agriculture

The farmer suicides that have become daily headlines are caused by loss of crops due to drought and other environmental factors. Our agriculture is still largely rain fed. We need a more scientific approach to farming and we need to explore how farming can be enhanced without harming the environment or putting additional pressure on available natural resources.

Rs 2 for Promotion of Culture and Heritage

India’s diverse cultural heritage and unique traditions should not be be allowed to die.  We need to revive and support them as much as possible. We need to know more about the beauty of the pata chitra paintings of Odisha, the fascinating dhokra art of the tribal regions of Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal, the Cheraw dance of Mizoram, and Bayalata of Karnataka. There’s all this and so much more at stake.

Re1 for Entrepreneurial Efforts

Young India is bubbling with innovative ideas, ready to take risks and explore new avenues. If programmes like ‘Make in India’ are to succeed, the way to go is to promote entrepreneurship. We need focused policies, investment opportunities and financial aid to help all entrepreneurs who dream of a ‘New India.’

Rs 5 for Infrastructure

In spite of some success stories like the golden quadrilateral, infrastructure is still poor in most parts of the country. This is true not just of rural India but of many bustling metros as well. Don’t we all crib about the pathetic state of roads in state capitals? While roads are just one aspect of infrastructure, there’s much more besides: waste management, energy, sustainable urban infrastructure, etc

While we expect the government to invest, I think it’s time private organizations came together to take ownership of city infrastructure. The government needs to aggressively promote public private partnerships in this area.

Rs 5 for Natural Calamities

From floods to cyclones to earthquakes, we face it all. It’s important for us, therefore, to put aside some finances to tackle natural calamities. While a chunk of the money should be used to facilitate preventive disaster management, we need to set aside some amount for disaster recovery and rehabilitation efforts as well.

Rs 10 for Education

We need a concentrated effort to improve the quality of education at all levels. In the area of primary education, we need better infrastructure in government schools, more efficient manpower allocation, an updated curriculum and drastically improved teaching methods. Teacher training is another area we need to work on. To reduce the drop-out rate, we could also look at incentives for students who complete their schooling.  We also need to improve the implementation of welfare programmes like the mid-day meal and the anganwadi feeding programme.

We need to ensure that our institutes of higher education conform to global standards. It’s also time we expanded higher learning opportunities beyond just engineering and medicine. We need institutes that offer world-class higher education in arts, sports and off-beat disciplines. Don’t you agree?

Rs 15 for Healthcare

We are still performing poorly on healthcare. TB still kills millions, and an equal number of children die of malnutrition. Many label us the ‘hunger capital of the world.’ Lack of sanitation is also leading to numerous health and social problems. Yes, we are proud that India is polio-free now, but there’s so much more left to do. Government hospitals and public healthcare centres are in a miserable state.

Affordable and reliable healthcare is still a luxury for most Indians. Ads on television will not suffice; we need more action on the ground. New epidemics like swine flu and ebola threaten the world. We need to be prepared to face such epidemics; the consequences of not doing so may be irreversible. We cannot envision a developed India without a proper healthcare system in place.

Rs 5 for the Environment

From poaching to illegal mining, wildlife and the environment face innumerable threats. We need to work harder in order to protect our forests, our unique wildlife and our fragile natural wonders. Our efforts to battle climate change will prove futile if we neglect the environment.

Rs 5 for Women’s Empowerment

Rape is now the most common form of crime against women in India.   We clearly need to work towards ensuring that our women are safe. While a change in cultural attitudes is necessary, we also need to make cities and villages safe for women. Some possibilities mooted include women-only transport facilities and specially trained women police forces to help women in distress round the clock. We also need programmes tailored specifically for women’s empowerment that focus on education of the girl child, employment opportunities, access to healthcare and counselling.

Rs 10 for Industrial Development

Many corporations, organizations and multinational companies say that India is being seen as the ideal destination for expansion. We need to build an ecosystem where our homegrown private organizations flourish alongside multi-national companies.  This would mean additional revenue and employment opportunities for all Indians.

That’s how I would spend the money. Do you agree? Let us know!