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Watching the Budget speech of the Finance minister reminded one of what the Canadian humourist Stephen Leacock once said: “Most people tire of a lecture in 10 minutes; clever people can do it in five.” Perhaps finance ministers haven’t heard of this. And even if they have, when it comes to the Budget, they probably steadfastly choose to ignore sensible advice and the basics of speech-making — just keep it brief.
As the Finance Minister droned on for two hours, drowning all of us in needless, mind-numbing detail, the overwhelming feeling that many experienced was — we have heard this before; there is nothing new. There were the usual announcements of schemes, some repackaged from the earlier regime, some new but dutifully named after their party deities. There were announcements of new colleges, training academies, hospitals and the ritual obeisance paid to all the usual categories — agriculture, micro, small and medium enterprises, girl child, senior citizens, differently-abled persons, renewable energy, handicrafts, handloom and what not.
Just look up the Budget speeches of past finance ministers — and the template is unmistakeable. Perhaps, one thought, the fault was not Arun Jaitley’s. He had maybe, just maybe, dutifully read out what his bureaucrats had prepared for him. So one waited to see what he would say in his interviews, post-Budget. Horror of horrors, he sounded as apologetic and hand wringing as previous finance ministers about why he could not do more for the tax-paying classes — I wish I had some more money and I would have given it to you… But maybe, next year….
Well, one had to wonder what was different from the UPA? What happened to the promise of change and bold, sweeping reform? Granted that these are early days and it takes a while to get a grip. Well, there’s another opportunity coming up in eight months. One keenly waits for a finance minister who will provide the big ideas and the big numbers in a short and simple speech. Here’s hoping Jaitley will fulfil that fond hope. That would be some reform.
Chief of BureauMumbai
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