Budget 2019: Broad narrative remains pro-development

By Keshav R. Murugesh

“In Budget 2019, there is an incremental thrust on infrastructure upgradation, job creation, and digital economy, clearly the key tenets for the year 2019-20. Strategic thinking and elaborate development of the 10-point agenda announced early in the year are evident in this budget. Job creation and re-skilling created a lot of stir last year. By introducing industry-relevant skills training for 10 million youth under the Kaushal Vikas Yojana, the government is clearly addressing the pressing issues in the country. The IT industry, for its part, is geared to partner with the government to enable skills training in Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, big data analytics, 3D printing, virtual reality, and robotics — highly valued skills within and outside the country.

Reforms in higher education and research, and the proposal to make India an electric car manufacturing hub, the focus on building infrastructure, efforts to widen the tax net and incentives for start-ups are other highlights of this budget.

The broad narrative continues to be pro-economy, pro-development, simplifying taxation and encouraging transparency. It instills faith in the government’s intent to take along every section of the population to a promising present and future.”

Keshav R. Murugesh is the Chairman, NASSCOM & Group CEO, WNS