cafeconomics

Every year, as the Union Budget approaches, we brace ourselves for a barrage of heavy economic terminology—fiscal deficits, GDP targets, and sectoral allocations. But for the average urban Indian, the "health of the economy" is often measured by much simpler metrics: Does the street outside my house flood when it rains? Is the local government school adequately staffed? is the neighborhood clinic clean? ​For too long, the answer to those questions has been a frustrating "no." ​Our cities are the growth engines of India, yet they are groaning under the weight of crumbling infrastructure and under-resourced social services. Simultaneously, we face a persistent challenge of urban unemployment and underemployment, affecting everyone from manual laborers to fresh graduates. ​This Budget season, my primary wishlist item isn't a tax cut or a corporate sop. It is a structural reform that addresses both urban decay and urban joblessness simultaneously: A National Urba...