India’s economic story has seen many turning points, and Union Budgets have often reflected the mood of the country at those moments. Some budgets are remembered for the relief they brought, while others
stand out for the tough realities they revealed.
Two such budgets continue to be discussed even decades later because of how different they were from each other. One exposed how deep the country’s problems had become, while the other tried to change the way India looked at growth, taxes, and trust.
These two budgets, presented more than 20 years apart, offer a clear picture of how India responded to crisis on one hand and hope on the other.
When The 1973 Budget Revealed A Crisis
The 1973-74 Union Budget was presented by Finance Minister Yashwantrao B. Chavan during Indira Gandhi’s time as prime minister. It came to be known as the “Black Budget” because it laid bare a fiscal deficit of Rs 550 crore, a shocking figure for that period.
The numbers reflected the pressure the country was under. India was still dealing with the financial impact of the 1971 war with Pakistan, which had pushed defence spending up to Rs 1,600 crore. At the same time, the government had to support more than one crore refugees after the creation of Bangladesh.
Matters worsened due to a severe drought in 1972. Crops failed across large parts of the country, food became scarce, and both villages and cities struggled with shortages, power cuts, and job losses.
To manage the situation, the budget focused on control and relief. Rs 56 crore was set aside to nationalise coal mines and general insurance. Another Rs 220 crore was allocated for drought relief, while Rs 160 crore was meant to import food grains to tackle shortages. The budget reflected survival mode, shaped by limited choices.
How The 1997 Budget Changed The Mood
In 1997, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram presented a very different budget under the United Front government. At the time, India was growing slower than many Asian countries, and there was pressure to boost confidence and spending. This budget quickly earned the name “Dream Budget.”
Chidambaram believed that lower taxes would lead to better compliance. He cut the highest personal income tax rate from 40 per cent to 30 per cent and reduced corporate tax for Indian firms from 40 per cent to 35 per cent.
He also introduced the Voluntary Disclosure of Income Scheme, allowing people to declare undisclosed income without penalties. Customs and excise duties were simplified, and more people were brought into the tax system by linking return filing to asset ownership and foreign travel.
The response was immediate. Markets jumped sharply on budget day. Over time, the impact became clearer. Income tax collections rose from about Rs 18,700 crore in 1997 to over Rs 2 lakh crore by 2013, as noted in a Forbes report.
The two budgets show two sides of India’s journey; one shaped by crisis and caution, the other driven by reform and belief in growth.
