Budget 2026-27: Services in Spotlight, Inclusive Growth Eyed; Congress Calls it Underwhelming

• Union Budget 2026-27 emphasizes a services-led growth strategy, aiming for inclusive growth under the Viksit Bharat vision.
• NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam described it as a "services Budget," building on previous budgets' focus on jobs and manufacturing.
• A high-level Standing Committee on services will be established to drive long-term reforms across 30-40 ministries.
• The Budget supports healthcare (medical hubs, medical tourism), education (university cities), tourism, Ayush, sports, culture, and the orange economy.
• Congress criticized the Budget as "totally lacklustre" and "non-transparent," stating it fell short of expectations.

Why It Matters: Budget 2026-27 prioritizes services for inclusive growth, but the Opposition deems it underwhelming.