BHUBANESWAR: After demonetisation, Anirudha was expecting additional income tax relaxation for pensioners and senior citizens besides steps for banking activities in unbanked areas. But the budget did not pay attention towards it. “Like the reduction of IT for Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh slab, it would have been better had the Government slashed the IT for the income slab of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh only for pensioners,” he said.
Appreciating the move to lower cash donation limit for parties to Rs 2,000, Anirudha said it would check non-transparent political funding. The highest ever allocation of Rs 5,102 crore for development of Railways in Odisha is a bold decision, he added. His daughter Arundhati termed the budget a bitter pill for youths. She said the Budget disappointed the youth in general and unemployed in particular since no thought has been given for employment generation.
After demonetisation many have lost jobs in different sectors, but no significant step has been taken to minimise the damage, she said. Son Amitabh, however, levelled it a good budget for health sector. Formulation of new norms for medical devices and steps for strengthening medical education will reduce healthcare cost, he said adding that the Government should have raised the tax exemption limit of medical reimbursement from the present Rs 15,000 each to, at least, Rs one lakh each per household.