Former Finance Minister and Congress Leader P. Chidambaram has raised concerns over the government's handling of fiscal policy, stating that despite initial improvements, the fiscal deficit is now projected to rise to 4.8% by 2024-25—bringing the economy back to where it started in 2014. He acknowledged the government's intent but criticized its execution, rejecting COVID-19 as an excuse, citing past global crises that previous governments managed. Chidambaram emphasized that managing the economy and ensuring a declining fiscal deficit is the government's responsibility, ultimately giving it a "low pass" for its fiscal management.