Budget 2019 may stick to fiscal rectitude ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Finance Commission report to determine stance on medium-term fiscal forecast

The 2019-20 interim Budget, which will be Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s last before the 2019 general elections, will serve as a vision document for the Narendra Modi government’s economic policy approach as it looks to secure a second term in power. It will also continue the theme of fiscal consolidation, which has been seen in all of this administration’s Budgets. Business Standard has learnt, however, that Jaitley may not pitch hard on or strongly commit to any medium-term fiscal forecast, as in the near future hangs the spectre of the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission (FFC), which is expected