Chandigarh, Feb. 13 -- Rajya Sabha member Rajinder Gupta on Thursday described the Budget 2026-27 as fiscally prudent and growth-oriented, while seeking a higher public spending on education and healthcare. Participating in the Rajya Sabha discussion on the Union Budget, Gupta argued that India's march towards becoming the world's third-largest economy must rest on stronger public expenditure in these two sectors. He congratulated finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on presenting her ninth consecutive Budget, calling it a symbol of stability, continuity and the rising leadership of women. He welcomed the focus on fiscal discipline, citing the projected fiscal deficit of 4.3% and capital expenditure outlay exceeding Rs.12 lakh crore as aligned with the vision of "Viksit Bharat". He also praised tax reforms aimed at ease of doing business, support for domestic pharmaceuticals, enhanced allocations for women-centric schemes and the recently concluded India-EU trade deal. htc...