EDITOR'S COLUMN

Friends,

We are into the last month of financial year 2016-17, supposedly the Budget month. But an executive decision to shift the budget date from 28th Feb. to 1st Feb. has effectively stopped the significance of March. The executive order also scrapped the practice of separate Railway Budget by including the same in the main Union Budget 2017-18. From now on there will be only one single budget for the country.
Union Budget of Finance Minister Arun Jeitley did attempt valiantly to undo negative fallout of demonetization by giving sops of all kinds to all people. Of course in an exercise of this nature, it is impossible to address concerns of every section of the society. Those who complained kept complaining. But then those who can afford should pay more, without much of a demur, that’s the principle of public finance. But then it is in the nature of homosepiens to ask for more. In the Month-in-Perspective, we have analyzed the latest Union Budget in better details. 
Elections to five states have more or less completed, with the exception of a phase of polling remaining for U.P. Who will emerge a winner, has to be seen. However one of the larger states of India, Maharashtra, has sent an unmistakable signal of going to BJP in their just concluded Municipal corporation polls, despite the perceived negatives of demonetization. Obviously Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has shuffled his poll managers better, to impress his voters. It is difficult to say, if similar result would come from elsewhere too. But, the richest corporation of Brihan Mumbai has thrown up a very tricky result with erstwhile partners having almost the same number of seats. But Shiv Sena leadership being strong headed will try all tricks to keep BJP out. Will that happen? 
As usual Month-in-Perspective has dealt with issues of relevance happening in the last month, taking them head-on. However, it has not been possible to take-up all issues of relevance.
The sudden withdrawal of High Denomination Currency notes of `500 & `1000, on 8th Nov. 2016, has been an unprecedented, almost cataclysmic, event that has left the country reeling in no-cash situation for most of the 50 days that the restrictions lasted. There have been plethora of reactions and responses of all kinds for the abrupt cessation of a large part of legal tender. We have tried to go into the positives and negatives in the Focus, of this historic move by the central govt. led by Narendra Modi. Focus on demonetization has tried to be fair where it was due and critical where it felt was needed. Hope our readers will find it worth their time. Do revert with your thoughts. We do value them.        

J. Shriyan

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