By KAUSHAL AGARWAL

Chairman, The Guardians Real Estate Advisory

It’s a pragmatic & forward looking budget, at the same time. The estimated, gradual reduction in the fiscal deficit from 9.5% to under 4.5% by 2024-25 will help boost consumption in the economy.

The government’s big bet on infrastructure is bound to pay off in the long-term & will also catapult desired growth for real estate & the economy. The NPA’s of PSU banks have seen an encouraging reduction from 8.96 to 6.8 trillion by end of Fiscal 2020.

The setting up of ARC & AMC for banks troubled with bad loans and NPA’s alongside the further recapitalisation of Rs.20,000 crores will help improve the lending capacity of the banking & financial sector. The government’s decision to extend tax holiday for affordable housing projects by another year is a step in the right direction to realise the PM’s dream of ‘Housing For All by 2022’.