VIJAYAWADA: The members of various industry bodies felt that the Union Budget- 2018 presented by Arun Jaitley is largely growth-oriented with a focus on giving a boost to rural economy, health and infrastructure sectors. However, they felt that the Union government meted out a raw deal to Andhra Pradesh which pinned its hopes on the budget.Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (APCCIF) president G Sambasiva Rao said the budget focused on strengthening agriculture and rural economy with an aim to double farmers’ income by 2022. “Keeping the fiscal deficit and yet meeting the growth and social objectives is a difficult task, which I would say the Finance Minister has achieved by carefully balancing the long-term and short-term needs,” he said.
With reference to the allocations to AP, he said that educational institutions got meagre allocations. “We as an industry body expected a positive announcement with regard to the separate railway zone. But it is a disappointment for all the industries and people of our State,” he said.CII, AP, chairman JSRK Prasad termed the budget a growth-oriented one with emphasis on promotion of local economy. “The budget had some excellent measures to ease the lives of common people with emphasis on the farm sector, education, healthcare and social protection. Small and medium enterprises also received a boost through tax measures and access to credit. Industry appreciates government’s efforts to increase employment and encourage entrepreneurship through various measures,” he said. He, however, was of the view that the budget was not stimulating on the industrial front.
Dr. Ramesh Cardiac and Multispeciality Hospitals chief financial officer Dr. P Ravi Kiran said the launch of a flagship National Health Protection Scheme covering over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families is a welcome initiative. “This will be the world’s largest government-funded healthcare programme which is revolutionary,” he added.