Budget 2021 must not undermine govt's response to the Covid-19 pandemic

Govt has so far been restrained and sensible in pandemic response. Budget must not throw away that effort

In a few weeks, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will rise to present what will inevitably be remembered as a pandemic Budget. Few Union Budgets will have been presented under such difficult circumstances, and will have been as enormously anticipated as this one will be. Ms Sitharaman will be under enormous pressure to do the impossible: Provide relief to farmers, consumers, households, and corporations; control spending and debt to prevent a ratings downgrade; and restore growth momentum following an unprecedented economic contraction.

So far, the government has been both restrained and sensible in its macro-economic response to the pandemic. Unlike