Is the Budget addressing the humble homemaker? POV by Krishnendu Dutta

As is the norm, many groups of stakeholders are lobbying with the FM, armed with their wish lists. How about the humble homemaker?

In the last few Budgets, middle-class homemakers have either been completely ignored or have somehow got a short shrift in the complete scheme of things. Past budgets have never consciously addressed the aspirations and expectations of the homemaker. It is indeed ironical, since the middle-class homemaker often has a budget of her own to manage, and can indeed do with some help from the Govt.

The Homemaker’s cash in hand to run the household has come under a fair bit of pressure, linked to the depressing urban job market, growing unemployment and falling money supply. This has led to the homemaker lowering her spends across consumption categories, finally a big detriment to the overall economy.

But with Sitharaman at the helm of affairs in the Finance Ministry, if women had a wish list, what would it be?

Ms Sitharaman needs to incentivize the Indian consumer to spend, and it all starts with the humble homemaker.

Let’s see what most home-makers would ideally want.      

Previous budgets have had a strong focus on welfare schemes and infrastructure, which have addressed women too, to some extent, but women are clearly hoping for the Finance Minister, who is a woman herself to understand the challenges of running households on shoe-string budgets.

While there have been several sops for the rural middle-class, implementation of rural sops is still a huge challenge in India. Consider the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana which was aimed at weaning away the rural women from unhealthy firewood cooking to cooking gas. It has been seen that only 10% of these women have actually gone for refilling of cooking gas; they have found it easier to go back to firewood cooking, which is free, to shelling out a princely 500 bucks, despite the subsidy of Rs. 217 per month, per refill. A healthy habit, has thus not formed. Rural distress remains unaddressed.  Would a more educated and empowered rural homemaker have responded differently?

Also, are there ways to make the pinch of the refill price more bearable, like the Rs 6000/- being paid to the farmer (the breadwinner) to allow him to avoid reaching out the mercenary money-lender?

The urban homemaker, on the other hand, is often educated about the need to invest in her child and family’s well-being and aspires for a more comfortable existence. The pinch in terms of reduced liquidity in the system and the distress in the employment scenario finally passes on to the home-maker.

The Finance Minister could look at reducing everyday and planned expenses for the urban home-maker, with reduced GST rates for the most common household expenses, family occasions for spending out of home, possibly even two-wheelers and cars cheaper for women. Finally, the Govt benefits from an optimistic and happier middle-class and some of these could go a long way in putting a smile on the home-maker’s face.

Apart from initiatives to provide relief to monthly budgetary planning, it is important to note that women are increasingly looking to elevate their status in society.

Lack of opportunities for women is a major roadblock for women in realizing their aspirations and moving to greater financial independence.

90 per cent of employed women are in the informal sector  the government can look at ensuring pay parity with men. Initiatives to elevate the status of rural and urban women employed in the unorganised sectors and cottage industries can go a long way in moving towards equal rights for women. In the urban areas, creation of centers for skill based employment for homemakers will empower them to reskill themselves for employability and financial independence.

The Budget could look at further increasing exemptions on incomes for women. This will encourage women to take up jobs and give them more money in hand for spending.