TNIE speaks to stakeholders and commonfolk to guage reactions to the Union Budget, and expectations from the state budget on Friday
Hail or fail?
The Union Budget promises a lot of changes. One thing that I welcome is cigarette prices going up; it is good for our society. Being a commoner living in an age of technology, smartphones getting cheaper is great news: Joseph, an autorickshaw driver
Tax relief for people earning under 7 lakh per annum gets a thumbs-up. I am also glad that AI is being given a major boost, with research centres and initiatives such as stipend support: Joe Antony (20), animation and graphics design student
There is nothing much to cheer about about household items or groceries. What is the use of reducing the prices of TV or mobile phones? I feel good about the scheme promoting reading habits. The revised tax slabs sound great from a middle-class perspective: Babiya Sreejith, homemaker
I am disappointed that there was no reduction in LPG prices. I wish there were more announcements on curbing the cost of living. Also, there should have been more welfare schemes for senior citizens: Sudha K K, retired government official
While it was good to see increased allocation for the agricultural sector, the silence on fuel prices was a downer. More nursing colleges coming across India sounds great, but many nurses are finding life difficult here due to low salaries. How are we going to address that?: Jayakumar B, juice shop owner
Besides looking at the number of start-ups, we need to focus on the success percentage as well. A support system has to be formed, and grants can be given to scale up ops and productivity. This time, agriculture and AI have been given emphasis. A similar could have been given to the health sector as well: Dileepkumar R, founder, Indriyam Biologics Pvt Ltd
The Budget looks promising, with a much-needed push for the tourism sector. It mentions that certain destinations will be developed as ‘complete package’ tourism spots. India is culturally and historically rich. What is required is to preserve and develop what we have; development has to be on those lines: Ajai Kumar K S, India Tourism guide
The proposed Mahila Samman Saving Certificate, which offers a deposit facility of Rs 2 lakh at 7.5% interest for two years, is a great move. Focus clearly was on the middle class with an eye on the 2024 elections: Mariam Jibu, president, YWCA
Projects like ‘Make AI for India’, agriculture start-up funds, and agri-digi platforms show the increased role of the IT sector in uplifting the agriculture sector. Projects like 100 labs to develop applications using 5G services, a National Digital Library and e-courts will be beneficial for the country if implemented well: Kiran Thomas, IT Professional
Stipends for 47 lakh youth is welcome. Rs 1.12 lakh crore for the education sector gets a big thumbs-up. I am yet to see any major proposal for university/research students: Syam Devaraj, law research scholar, University of Kerala
Great Expectations
Fuel price is always a worry for people like me. Many autorickshaw drivers had switched to CNG due to cheaper rates. But now, the price has soared from D50 to D91. It will be great if the government reduces the VAT for CNG. Tamil Nadu had reduced the VAT and CNG is much cheaper there: Thomas Lawrence, an autorickshaw driver
In addition to the rise in electricity and water charges, prices of essentials such as rice, milk and vegetables have shot up. I hope the state government will take some measures to lower the cost of living: Raseena Rashid, homemaker
I look forward to more development projects in the IT sector. Kerala should boost infra development, and also promote start-up ventures. Our public transport system has a lot to improve. IT hubs like Technopark need more connectivity. It will be great to see the agriculture sector get a fillip and incorporate technology into farming: S Suryajith, IT professional
There is a huge decline in the price of rubber sheets in the market – from D200 it has come down to D125. We are lft with nothing after giving wages and other costs. The government should allocate funds and provide subsidies in this budget for small-scale cultivators: Sunitha G S, rubber cultivator
The major difficulties concerning my job, especially as a woman, are the working hours and the shoddy state of basic amenities such as toilets at KSRTC bus stands. Our working time sometimes goes up to 12 hours a day. I urge the government to focus on not just funding, but efficient management, too. There should be more focus on planning, worker-friendly schedules, and hygiene at bus stations: Laila A, KSRTC conductor
Kerala is the second-most urbanised major state in India, with 47.7% urban population. The IT sector has been consistently augmenting the state’s GDP growth. It is the only industry that registered growth during the Covid crisis. I hope the state government continues to strengthen the local IT ecosystem, by providing more incentives to homegrown players. In light of a looming global recession, such bolstering is essential. A flourishing IT sector will eventually provide more jobs, and strengthen the economy; it’s a win-win scenario: Binu Jacob, CEO, Experion Technologies
Kerala should focus to implementing basic facilities at tourist spots. A good review will do more good than any marketing. Govt should also ensure the effective implementation of projects announced: Jayachandran V G, president, Tourist Guides Federation of South India
The state can play a big role in fighting the climate crisis. Reducing plastic waste can be supported by incentivising the usage of sustainable products such as paper bags. I wish to see some green announcements in the budget, like investment in sustainable paper goods: Muhammed Asif Cherachen, B.Com-LLB graduate
Small farmers are forced to take loans as payment for the produce procured is often delayed. A credit allocation for the departments responsible for crop procurement should be included in the budget and funds should be distributed on time. Also, provide machinery and equipment to small farmers: Philip K Chacko, owner of Pure Harvest Farms
By Mahima Anna Jacob, Arya U R, Teresa Thomas, George Michael, Navneeth K Das, George Johnson and Liz Thomas