Care Ratings says the upcoming Union Budget will aim to lift consumption by increasing welfare allocations and funding rural economic initiatives. It expects revenue expenditure to jump by about Rs 75,000 crore versus prior interim budgets, with higher support for employment guarantee schemes, PM Awas Yojana housing, PM Gram Sadak Yojana rural infrastructure and measures for labor-intensive small businesses.
India is moving cautiously on a central bank digital currency, aiming not just for payments tech but to reduce leakages in welfare delivery. Though its early rollout looks small next to China’s massive e-yuan adoption, officials believe a successful system could scale quickly—potentially making India one of the world’s biggest CBDC issuers.
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A proposed AI Act is being scrutinized as Europe worries that AI and algorithmic decision-making are becoming embedded in welfare and social safety nets. Critics say these systems can quietly shape eligibility and access to support, undermining social and economic rights unless safeguards, transparency, and accountability are strong enough to protect people from errors and bias.
Six years after earlier promises, migrant workers are again facing worsening hardship. Protests have broken out over low wages and poor working conditions as living costs rise faster than government responses. Welfare schemes and housing programs are struggling to deliver on the ground, while uncertainty around new labour codes adds fresh risk. Rural distress is also rising, leaving workers trapped in a cycle of exploitation.
New research challenges the widely cited pre-tax Gini coefficient of 0.61, arguing it overlooks how government welfare reshapes household resources. By factoring in benefits such as food and housing, the post-fiscal Gini is reported to fall dramatically, even approaching zero, reshaping how India’s inequality is understood and debated.
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