As the dust settles on the proposals that the Finance Minister made in the Budget earlier this month, some aspects have become clearer while questions remain on others.

We will dwell on topics such as: Why did the Minister choose to be less aggressive on the fiscal deficit front than she could have? Why were Andhra Pradesh and Bihar given special consideration when such action was within the purview of the Finance Commission? And what does the changeover from cooperative federalism to competitive federalism mean for the States?

Guest: Lekha Chakraborty is a Professor at National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), and Governing Board Member of International Institute of Public Finance, Munich.

Host: K. Bharat Kumar

Edited by Jude Francis Weston