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The meaning of “Jan Bhagidari” is “people’s participation.” It is the process through which the people of India can tell the central government what they expect from the upcoming Union Budget 2025-26.
This remarkable initiative was introduced by the Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has many times said that the participation of all people will result in the prosperity of all people.
It is in this context that we should examine the role of Jan Bhagidari in shaping the Indian Union Budget. Read this blog, as it explains the meaning of Jan Bhagidari in a simple way because with Bajaj Broking BudgetSimpleHai.
Introduction to Jan Bhagidari and Its Significance
The concept of “Jan Bhagidari” is crucial for the success of any country and even more so in the case of a democracy. As India is a democratic country, it is the responsibility of the government to know the aspirations of the people and also to fulfil them.
In the context of the Union Budget, this concept becomes even more interesting. The government invites people to share their expectations and aspirations from the budget by posting them on the MyGov portal.
Often people share their suggestions by saying that they would like the government to work for the poor, to improve education and healthcare, etc. Once the suggestions are uploaded on the MyGov portal, the finance minister can go through them and incorporate them to meet people’s expectations.
Having understood what Jan Bhagidari is, let’s delve further into this topic.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the Union Budget 2025-26 on February 1, 2025. This budget is anticipated to include announcements on policies, schemes, income tax rate slabs, and more, influencing various aspects of daily life. To simplify this year’s Budget and to decode its impact on your life, your investment portfolio, and all that you do, we bring you #BudgetSimpleHai!
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As the Union Budget 2025-26 is around the corner, it is important to understand the concept of participatory budgeting.
The objective behind participatory budgeting is to ensure that budgeting belongs to the citizens of India.
For example, if citizens expect that the government should focus on health and sanitation, then provisions should be made in the budget to do so.
This is particularly important for a country as diverse and vast as India. Unless people tell the government which areas they would like it to work on, it can become very difficult for the government or its bureaucrats to understand citizens’ expectations.
Jan Bhagidari has emerged as a powerful concept in the Indian context. This is how:
In India, Jan Bhagidari (participation of people) happens through Jan Samwad (dialogue with people).
The government and its officers are expected to hold regular interactions with people to understand the ground realities.
The people have the responsibility to provide honest feedback to the government on how its policies are performing.
Based on this feedback, the government finetunes the policies for the welfare of the people.
In India, the concept of Jan Bhagidari is not limited only to the Union Budget. Even apart from the budget, our citizens often give feedback and also support the government for the successful implementation of its policies and initiatives.
The Union Budget 2025-26, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 1st February 2025, reflects significant public participation through Jan Bhagidari. Key highlights include:
Infrastructure Investment: A continued emphasis on infrastructure development, with a proposed increase in the budget for highways by 5-6%, amounting to approximately ₹2.85 lakh crore to ₹2.9 lakh crore.
Manufacturing Boost: Enhancements to the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, particularly in sectors like electronic components and new energy technologies, aiming to strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities.
Social Welfare: Increased spending on rural welfare schemes to stimulate demand and support rural economies.
These initiatives underscore the government's commitment to incorporating citizens' suggestions into the budgetary framework.
There are several ways in which public participation happens in the budgeting process in India.
First, people can provide their suggestions and expectations for the budget through the MyGov portal.
Second, people can reach out to the government using the social media handles of several government departments. This is another way for the government to know what the people want.
Third, the government organises several town hall meetings, wherein government officials interact with people. Such town halls often see ministers in attendance. This way people’s voice manages to reach out to the decision-makers of the government.
Fourth, the finance ministry holds several meetings with industry bodies like CII, FICCI, and ASSOCHAM to understand what the industrialists want from the government.
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a good example of how Jan Bhagidari can impact the Union Budget in a favourable way.
This scheme was launched by PM Modi in 2016. It was launched after the government combined two schemes related to crop insurance and sustainable agriculture.
Before launching PMFBY, the government had taken and considered farmers’ feedback in a detailed way.
Then, in the Union Budget for FY 2023-24, the government had allocated ₹13,625 crore under this scheme.
This shows how a scheme which was formulated as a result of Jan Bhagidari was a key focus area for a budget.
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While Jan Bhagidari is essential for India, the government faces certain challenges in this respect.
At times, a sufficient number of people may not be aware that they can provide their suggestions for policy formation to the government
The government had received over 1,200 suggestions from people for its interim budget earlier this year. For a country of India’s population, 1,200 is too low a number.
At times, bureaucratic hurdles make it difficult for the government to get real feedback from the people. Therefore, the government will have to find a way to deal with this issue.
In the future, the government will have to ensure that people’s participation increases through initiatives based on Jan Bhagidari.
The government will have to remove the bureaucratic hurdles that can prevent people’s feedback from actually reaching the government.
The government will also have to ensure that its officers at the centre work seamlessly with its officials at the state level. This is crucial for the effective implementation of government policies because most policies are implemented at the state level.
The government will have to use social media and digital technology more for this. Such technologies can really help the government to reach out to its people.
Jan Bhagidari, or people's participation, is vital in a democracy like India. Given the nation's size and diversity, providing forums for citizens to offer feedback ensures that policies and budgets reflect collective aspirations. The Union Budget 2025-26 exemplifies this participatory approach, aiming to align governmental initiatives with the people's needs.
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