‘Focus on credibility’: DEA Secretary Anuradha Thakur outlines more than 370 reforms at the Business Line Budget Forum

Economic Affairs Minister Anuradha Thakur at the Decoding the Budget’

Addressing business line After the ‘Decode the Budget’ budget event, Thakur said, more than 350 to 370 different types of reforms have been introduced in the last decade, some of which are mentioned in the budget and some not.

Second foundation

“They are undertaken by ministries and departments across government to make business easier and life better for ordinary citizens. They lay the second foundation for any country to move forward, to have a strong economic foundation,” she said.

Thakur highlighted infrastructure building measures and listed infrastructure reforms.

“This budget seeks to diversify infrastructure reforms into railways, waterways and coastal shipping so that we have a well-equipped transport infrastructure for our freight to pass through. When freight moves smoothly, costs come down,” she said, adding that if costs come down faster, it will be reflected in the economy as a driver of growth, but also in the lives of citizens.

According to Thakur, this year’s Budget has emphasized on services sector. The services sector already accounts for 55 percent of gross value added in the economy. It accounts for 30 percent of employment.

It also has the lowest ICOR (Incremental Capital Output Ratio), which basically means it has the greatest potential to grow very quickly with a lower capital commitment.

Viksite Bharat

“What it means for us is that services is as important a sector for us to achieve Viksit Bharat as manufacturing or infrastructure. It is already a factor in our growth. We would now build it in a targeted manner. This is to help the youth across the country find meaningful ways to participate in the economy, improve vocational qualifications and engage with the rest of the segments of the economy,” she said.

She said the budget document should be read broadly.

“We want to be accountable to all of you, to the entire country, so that we can properly implement our policies, so that the results of our ambition and motivation that went into making the budget can be achieved in the service of the economy, in the service of the nation,” she said.

Published on February 6, 2026