
BENGALURU: As the nation gears up for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s presentation of the Union Budget for 2025-26 today, what do young Bengalureans just starting to step into workplaces, making investments, or planning to buy homes, want from this fiscal year? The answers vary between reduction in tax, incentives for saving money, aid for the most marginalised in our society, and affordable housing.
Anaan Farooq, Public Policy Research Associate
As a young person in Bengaluru, I’m hoping for a budget that actually speaks to the realities of people like us. Last year’s gender budget was historic in terms of allocation, but it still missed key areas – like recognising the contributions of ASHA and anganwadi workers, who are the backbone of community healthcare and early education but continue to be underpaid and undervalued.
There’s also this huge silence on women’s unpaid domestic labour, which feels like a glaring oversight year after year. This time, I would love to see a stronger focus on those at the margins – like Muslim women, Dalit women, and queer communities. Their needs aren’t ‘extras’; they are essentials. Whether it’s access to healthcare, safe housing, or skill-building opportunities, catering to these communities specifically can transform lives, but it requires intentional allocations, not just broad strokes.
Dineet Dadu, President of Millennium Mams’ Bengaluru Chapter
India is at the cusp of evolution and we expect our government to make it easier for women to evolve and be independent. We applaud the Lakhpati Didi scheme that the Government has rolled out which focuses on empowering the urban poor by providing financial literacy, digital skills, and entrepreneurship training.
This will help them adapt to the evolving urban landscape, hone their entrepreneurial abilities, and thrive in a supportive ecosystem. Tax changes will help put more money in people’s hands, increasing spending power and driving consumption.
Pradeep P, Commerce Professor
This year, my key expectation is better support for housing affordability. With Bengaluru’s skyrocketing real estate prices, homeownership feels increasingly out of reach. Raising tax benefits under Sections 80C and 24(b) or introducing incentives for first-time buyers would make a real difference.
Additionally, I hope for stronger investment in emerging technologies and job creation. Enhanced teacher training is also crucial for long-term growth. A lot of my peers in academia keep bringing up the need for more research funding, especially for teachers. Better funding and international collaborations could really boost the quality of Indian education and even attract more global students, making things more competitive worldwide.
Asmi Gupta, Marketing Intern
As someone who’s going to fully join the workforce in the coming months, I hope to see some relief in income tax, an increase in the basic exemption limit, and taxing higher income groups more. Since I am financially dependent on my parents for at least 50 per cent of my expenditure, mostly what affects me is the price of fuel as it increases travel expenses and GST on education and recreational activities.
Initiatives to support start-ups by providing financial incentives would also be great because it would lead to more jobs in an already saturated market.
Deepak Kothari, Chartered Accountant
As a young entrepreneur from Bengaluru, I see that a lot of my friends are confused when it comes to their investments. They are not sure whether they should invest because earlier, there were some deductions and benefits under Section 80C for investing in housing properties, ELSS, and in LICs; but that has been declining and it will affect the saving habit in people.
I would encourage the government to bring that back so the habit is cultivated. Also, the limit for GST registration is very low, B20 lakhs (for service providers); that should be increased to B40 lakhs so that small enterprises are encouraged to do their business without the hurdles of GST.