Good Luck to the Opposition Bench

At the onset of the budget session, I would like to wish good luck to our opposition bench. They seem to be representing the aam aadmi pretty well using the media to their advantage. This is essential to make sure that the government does not lose focus on development. However, I would like to recommend a cheat sheet for the opposition and see the points in the sheet addressed adequately in this session.

Issues List

1. Inflation (adequate attention already)
2. Loss in revenue through IPO, spectrum auctions etc.
3. Focus on sectors such as textiles, footwear, cottage industries etc. with the right balance between subsidies and export promotions
4. Continued spending on infrastructure projects and a report on outcome of infrastructure spending. Particular focus is required on power generation and roads
5. Spending on defense. (I know there are lots of people concerned about increased spending on defense. But this is a critical area for India especially since the stability of the peninsula depends heavily on matching military might.)

It is always good to increase revenue instead of curtailing spending. This is especially the case when the country has rich revenue sources  at its disposal. So I would recommend that the opposition grill the ruling coalition on monetizing the resources instead of admonishing them on spending.

I would also recommend that the opposition chase a wholesome solution encompassing all the economic issues facing the country rather than narrowly focusing on inflation (which can be attributed to delayed monsoon) alone and is a temporary phenomenon.

Good luck and remember the nation is waiting to see how the new BJP is going to perform ultimately when it comes to national economic issues.

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