Barinder Saluja, Chandigarh,March 02 : Common men are not happy with the Finance Minister. The union Budget presented in the Parliament on Monday did not offer much relief to the common man, as prices of the essential commodities like LPG, kerosene and food articles are set to go up. With Petrol already hitting hard on the pockets of the lay man, now other commodities too have been pushed into the same slab. Though the city itself has been given good share this time for the building of infrastructure.
The India Post spoke to a cross-section of different residents of the city to find out their views.
H S Lucky, Ex-Deputy Mayor : The Budget is pro-people. It will feed all the sections of community and has got something or the other for all sections of society. Chandigarh has been given handsome grant. Income tax slabs has been increased. Retaired will get more benefits. Over all budget is favorable.
Vikas Cuccria, Advocate : There is always a escalation in the fiscal burden imposed by the State year to year.This time the upper strata has been targeted ,who are the real caretakers of the economic growth of the Nation. I personally feel that the essential commodities should be left alone for the lower/mid class to sustain themselves What ever the increase or decrease The show will still go on !
Amrita Kaur, Teacher : Budget is neutral for women this time around with equal gains and losses on multiple fronts. Women are unhappy that there was no tax exemption for them unlike last year.
For salaried class having an income upto 5 Lakhs , returns need not be filed is something I welcome. However the common man hasn’t got any respite from the inflationary trend of rising food prices despite assurances to counter it. Excise duty on petroleum products could’ve been reduced
Hardeep S Chandpuri, CEO Broadcasting Academy : “The budget this year if full of surprises as always, but of the wrong kind. In
it’s apparent appeasement policy, the Govt. seems to have forgotten the middle class and has taxed whatever it possibly could. Just a few adjustments here and there and increasing the limit to Rs 180,000 will hardly help. I also wanted to see some concrete measures about bringing back the ‘black money’ from tax havens but, even that seems to have been given lip-service. With an economist as PM and a worthy FM, I at least expected a much better budget”.
Sandeep Kathuria, Bussiness man : Previously we had to pay only VAT on food items. Now we also have to pay service tax on AC lounges & hotel rooms. This reduces the profit levels to considerable extent. But it is the end consumer who have to bear the impact of inflation. Mr. Pranab Mukherji has failed to control the rising prices.
Anamika, Housewife : Growth of the country is alright but it should not be at the cost of common man. Now, dinning out is more expensive, service tax has been increased, LPG, Petrol all essential commodities has gone up. Now, not only common man but the upper middle class wil also feel the pinch. I am frustrated. Mr. Mukherji has not done good.
Paramjeet Singh Reen, IT Professional : Nothing much has been done for the salried class. We pay taxes and contribute to National exchequer. But still we do not get relief from black money and corruption. We become defaulters if we do not pay our taxes on time. I do not think that our finance minister if serious about controlling black money. It seems to have become a part of our democracy. If stricket action is not taken, then our country will become one like those where no law is followed.
Col. K.S.Kondal : The 11% rise in the defence budget is inadequate. Adjust for inflation, it’s the same as mere 1% increase in the total plan. Stress should have been on recruiting more officers in the army. How can an overstrained organisation be dedicated? In view of china, modernising its armed forces, the increase in the Indian Defence budget is insufficient. The Defence budget has not sent a good message to the armed forces, and it will lower their morale. There’s no word on “One rank, one pension.”
This time budget have ruined away all the common ppl dreams nd wishes firstly the taxation part have been risin from every end weather it is in service sector or marketin sector.. the norms of price rise hve really hitten hard to poor ppl as well..
Government should look after the budget nd let the common ppl leave their lives happily …things should be made in control….