If national security measures can get nearly Rs100,000 crore, surely we can afford to invest at least as much in securing our ''food security'', argues Arun Firodia, chairman, Kinetic Group.

The current financial year has been a great one. GDP has grown by 9.2 per cent, government revenues are buoyant, and exports are up. Full credit should be given to the finance minister for the excellent economic management of the country. He seems to have decided not to touch the ''winning formula'' and continued with his existing policies, more or less.

It was expected that finance minister would chart out a revolutionary new path and transform the rural economy into a powerhouse of future economic growth. While there are many good schemes already operating in this sector, they have not succeeded in reaching the intended beneficiary stakeholders, because of a lack of sound implementation.

Unless delivery mechanism improves, these schemes would remain a drain on the exchequer.

Also the financial outlay on rural sector should have been at least Rs100,000 crore since the rural sector accounts for nearly 20 per cent of India''s economy. But important areas like crop insurance will get only Rs100 crore and the National Rainfed Area Authority would get another measly Rs100 crore.

If national security measures can get nearly Rs100,000 crore surely we can afford to invest at least as much in securing our ''food security''. Instead of spending Rs43,000 crore to buyout the Reserve Bank of India''s stake holding in the State Bank of India. The government could well have channeled this amount in creating asset like small irrigation, roads, cold storage, etc, in rural areas.

Infrastructure sector of power, ports, roads, etc, cry out for immediate attention. But 80 per cent of this Budget will be spent on revenue expenditure with, a comparatively insufficient amount being allocated left for infrastructure creation.

There are some welcome incremental steps in the area of job creation, food processing, bio-energy, R&D, etc. It is also good to know that there will be further fiscal consolidation in the current year.

Urban India can look forward to another good year. But what about rural Bharat?