Congress raises fiscal federalism, inequality concerns ahead of Budget

The Congress has expressed concerns about the upcoming 2026-27 Union Budget, highlighting fiscal federalism issues, sluggish private corporate investment, and rising inequality. Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary, stated that the budget would reflect recommendations from the 16th Finance Commission report on tax revenue sharing between the Centre and States. He emphasized the need for decisive action to address these structural challenges in order to achieve sustainable GDP growth and employment generation. The Budget session will begin on January 28 and end on April 2, with Parliament recessing after the budget presentation on February 1.