Published in Dwarka Express on 4.2.23

For a common man in India, especially the working class, FEB 1 is a ‘D-day’ at least from the income tax perspective. Sans this, swelling fiscal deficit, the bullish trend in Dalal street or plummeting Adani stock makes no impact on the aam admi, whose damp squib is managing his daily errands. While for many others, union budget as just an annual ritual, though this time, the FM seems to have caught up with the GREEN GROWTH. For one reason, the FM deserves a thumbs up, as the budget highlighted green growth in a popping way, indeed a big prominence is given unlike the past, though the PAGE 3 journalists as usual are averse to the term ‘environment’ apparently unaware that it is now part of lifestyle definition, going by Government’s new maxim i.e., LiFE (Liftstyle For Environment) initiative

While PM spoke about the AMRIT DAROHAR SCHEME during the recent Mann ki baat, FM has quoted the same in her speech while talking about GREEN GROWTH. She has mentioned that the RAMSAR sites has increased to 275 whereas the same was at 26 before 2014. Local communities have always been at the vanguard of conservation efforts for wetlands. The government will promote their unique conservation values through the Amrit Dharohar, a scheme that will be implemented over the next three years to encourage optimal use of wetlands and enhance biodiversity, carbon stock, eco-tourism opportunities and income generations for local communities,” she said.

GREEN GROWTH is treated by Finance Minister as one of the SEVEN PRIORITIES, called Saptarishi (seven sages) which is expected to guide the Amrit Kaal (next 25 years), which inter-alia speaks of Green Credit Program under Environment (Protection) Act to sustainable actions by all in tune with LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment) initiatives to reduce carbon footprints. PM- PRANAM (Program for Restoration, Awareness, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother Earth).

When Finance Minister said old vehicles have to be replaced and in it is the Government policy, by slip of the tongue, she said “old politicians” instead of “Old polluting vehicles”, entire house went into laughter. She corrected it but there is genuineness in eliminating both.  (In lighter vein)

PM’s circular economy initiative envisages recycling of the 500 new ‘waste to wealth’ plants under GOBARdhan (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan) including compressed biogas (CBG) plants, and community-based plants at a total investment of Rs. 10,000 Cr is expected to take off soon. A series of initiatives such as Coastal shipping, Mangrove initiative (MISHTI, Compensatory plantation, vehicle replacement to control pollution (not politician !!!) Bio-Input Resource Centres, National Green Hydrogen Mission, priority capital investments towards energy transition and net zero objectives, Battery Energy Storage Systems are lined up. All these tall promises paint a greener picture to the budget, though certain deficiencies and inconsistencies are predicted by critics and environmentalists. Even if it is criticized as election budget, the fact remains that the Government needs to prepare itself emphatically to meet the global zero emission targets. Let’s wait to see how these are going to be enforced