"Assessing the Impact of India's Pre-Election Budget 2024 on Economy and Politics"

India's interim budget for 2024 focuses on continued infrastructure funding, with over $130 billion allocated for physical assets like roads and ports, but shuns big spending on social schemes and tax relief measures for the middle class. The government aims to build 20 million affordable houses in the next five years and keep GDP growth at about 7%, while curbing the fiscal deficit. Critics, including former central bank governor Raghuram Rajan, express concerns over inadequate spending on health and education, unemployment, and uneven consumption growth.