One of the intended objectives of the Union Budget 2017-18 is to 'transform, energise and clean India'.…

Question

One of the intended objectives of the Union Budget 2017-18 is to 'transform, energise and clean India'. Analyse the measures proposed in the Budget 2017-18 to achieve the objective.

Ghissu Editorial · Accepted Answer

Budget 2017-18 pursued its TEC India goal through record infrastructure and rural spending, farm, skill and tax relief measures, and curbs on cash and political funding. Its clean-up of political finance proved weakest, as electoral bonds were struck down by the Supreme Court in 2024.

**Introduction**

Budget 2017-18, presented on 1 February 2017, set the agenda of "TEC India": transform governance and quality of life, energise the youth and the vulnerable, and clean the country of black money and opaque political funding.

**Measures to Transform and Energise India**

SKETCH: tree | TEC India Agenda
- Transform
  - Infrastructure, governance
- Energise
  - Farmers, youth, poor
- Clean
  - Funding, cash curbs

1. **Infrastructure and villages**: Infrastructure got ₹3,96,135 crore, including a ₹1 lakh crore rail safety fund, and MGNREGA a then-record ₹48,000 crore, with village electrification by May 2018, achieved in April 2018.
2. **Governance**: The Plan and non-Plan distinction ended, the FIPB was abolished and the Railway Budget was merged.
3. **Farmers**: The farm credit target rose to ₹10 lakh crore, the irrigation fund doubled to ₹40,000 crore and e-NAM was to cover 585 markets.
4. **Youth and taxpayers**: SANKALP (₹4,000 crore) targeted skills, and the ₹2.5-5 lakh tax rate was halved to 5%.

**Measures to Clean the Economy and Politics**

1. **Political funding**: Anonymous cash donations were capped at ₹2,000, but electoral bonds deepened opacity and were struck down in ADR v. Union of India (2024).
2. **Cash curbs**: Section 269ST barred cash receipts of ₹2 lakh and above.

**Way Forward**

1. **Outcomes and transparency**: Track outlays through the Outcome Budget, mandate full disclosure of political donations, and complete e-NAM reforms with states.

**Conclusion**

Budget 2017-18 largely transformed infrastructure and rural assets, partly energised farmers and youth, and did least to clean political finance. Its structural reforms laid the base for later Budgets on the road to Viksit Bharat 2047.

One of the intended objectives of the Union Budget 2017-18 is to 'transform, energise and clean India'. Analyse the measures proposed in the Budget 2017-18 to achieve the objective.

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