The country is at a critical juncture ahead of today’s Union Budget, grappling with significant economic challenges. Despite being an accounting document, the Union Budget is more than just a ledger of expenditures and revenues ~ it is a powerful signal of the government’s priorities and policy direction. This year’s budget comes amid pressing issues like unemployment, inflation, and growing income inequality, which demand urgent attention. Recent data from surveys such as the Annual Survey on Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) and the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) reveal a stark reality: a large portion of the Indian population continues to earn very low incomes. Economic growth over the past few years has predominantly benefited a small number of the elite, with real wages stagnating for the majority.

Despite electoral promises from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to uplift the poor,........

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