FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 15 No. 229 | BHOPAL | SUNDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2026 | Pages 16 ` 4 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in By invitation Prof Himanshu Rai Director, IIM-Indore O ver the past year, India’s economic story has moved further towards our dream of achieving a Viksit Bharat. Despite global uncertainty, slowing trade, and persistent geopolitical risks, India has continued to remain the world’s fastest-growing major economy.Inflation has moderated from post-pandemic highs, while public capital expenditure has continued to anchor investment sentiment. In addition, employment indicators have improved gradually, infrastructure creation has accelerated, and India’s digital public architecture has deepened its reach. Against this backdrop, this year, the expectations from the Union Budget 2026 are not about a dramatic course correction, but about consolidation with purpose – a budget for the nation as a whole to grow and evolve further. The central government’s fiscal deficit stood at 4.9% of GDP in 2024–25, with a stated medium-term glide path towards sub4.5%. For 2026–27, expectations are focused on a deficit of about 4.4–4.5% of GDP, andachieving this without cutting productive expenditure will be critical. It is essential to maintain this momentum while also allowing private investment. Further, education and youth policy need to be a focus, as India is home to one of the world’s youngest populations. With 65% of the population below the age of 35, it becomes challenging to provide them FP with a quality of life, education, and employability. The Ministry of Education was allocated Rs 1.29 lakh crore in the 2025–26 Budget, marking a year-onyear increase of roughly 13%. This provides a solid base, but the effectiveness of spending will matter more than headline growth. It is expected that this year's budget will focus more on empowering youth, whether at the school and college levels or in employment. Also, rather than investing solely in the physical expansion of educational services, digital infrastructure needs to be strengthened. In higher education, India’s Gross Enrolment Ratio stands at around 28%, well below the long-term national target of 50%. Budget 2026 should therefore support capacity expansion in universities and identify ways to fund initiatives linked to research output, student progression, and graduate employability. While industry demand is shifting quickly toward digital, green, and advanced manufacturing skills, targeted expansion of industry-linked skilling programmes, particularly in artificial intelligence, electronics, logistics, and renewable energy, also becomes crucial. Among other sectors, infrastructure and logistics expenditure should remain a priority, as we move forward towards achieving our dream of Viksit Bharat and a Self-Reliant India. Easy access to credit for MSMEs, regulatory simplification, strengthening primary care, and other measures should be considered. On taxation, modest simplification and base broadening would be fiscally wiser than significant rate cuts that risk narrowing the revenue base. 4Continued on | P8 BHOPAL Do share your thoughts on Budget 2026 on Feb 1. We are waiting for your valuable insights! Give your theories a stage, and share your views on: Email: writetofreepress96@gmail.com WhatsApp: 7415940861 fp Briefs NEW DELHI Arab ministers arrive Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday received a delegation of Foreign Ministers of Arab countries, Secretary General of the League of Arab States and Heads of Arab delegations, who are in India for the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. EDITIONS: BHOPAL Kids among 30 Gazans killed in Israeli strike UJJAIN PUNE INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Readers’ Corner R-Day 2026: Upholding... P.6 Cinema Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia... P.14 Baloch fighters Sunetra Pawar sworn in launch attack on Pak forces as first Maha woman Dy CM 67 militants, POWER SHIFT | Ajit Pawar’s wife gets excise, sports and minority affairs portfolios, Fadnavis keeps finance IANS Sunetra will work tirelessly for people’s welfare: Modi MUMBAI Sunetra Pawar, wife of former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, was on Saturday sworn in as Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister, days after the sudden demise of her husband in a plane crash. Governor Acharya Devvrat administered the oath of office and secrecy to Sunetra Pawar at a simple ceremony held at Lok Bhavan in view of the recent tragedy. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, ministers, and legislators were present on the occasion. After the oath-taking ceremony, Ajit Pawar’s supporters raised slogans -Amar Rahe Amar Rahe, Supriya tai aage badho. PM Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Sunetra Pawar after she took oath as Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister, expressing confidence that she would work tirelessly for the welfare of the people and carry forward the vision of the late Ajit Pawar. In his post in Marathi and English on X, PM said, “Best wishes to Sunetra Pawar Ji as she begins her tenure as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, the first woman to hold this responsibility. I am confident she will work tirelessly for the welfare of the people of the state and fulfil the vision of the late Ajitdada Pawar.” Earlier in the day, Sunetra Pawar was unanimously elected as the NCP Legislature Party leader.