NEW DELHI: Within fiscal constraints, Finance Minister Nirmala Sithraman by unveiling the Budget proposals sought to arrest the apparent drift of the middle class and youth away from the BJP.
However, the Narendra Modi government doesn’t seem to have pressed the panic button on the economy despite electoral reversals, most clear in Jharkhand, to stick to the policy directions in recent years for slow and steady measures to focus on infrastructure as force multipliers to lift the sentiments.
While the income tax proposals have sent the middle class consulting chartered accountants, the BJP hopes that the electorally significant constituency would become aware of the government’s intentions to move to the low tax regime. The offer of new optional tax slab rejig is seen within the BJP as clear attempts to offer balm to the traders and middle class, both growing restive with their sense of erosion of incomes.
"The middle class and traders will get some additional money in their pockets if they opt to forego exemptions and deductions, besides infusing hope that the policy course is towards lower tax regime. The two constituencies have in recent years grown disappointed in the face of economic slowdown hurting their incomes," said a senior BJP functionary. The loss of power in five BJP-ruled states was largely attributed to the youth punishing the party for not creating jobs.
The BJP ceded power in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chattishgarh, Maharashtra and Jharkhand to the Congress in 2018. Sitharaman was seen making a desperate bid to reach out to the youth while unveiling the Budget proposals.
One-year internship for fresh engineers in urban local bodies is seen to have the potential to engage lakhs of young graduates. Additionally, the proposal to engage young graduates from the Start-Ups in the execution of the infrastructure projects could also open up new avenues for the youth. The proposal for fisheries also proposes to involve the youth. The proposed linkages of the district hospitals with medical colleges may also offer better avenues to doctors.
AIM TO WOO BACK THE YOUNGSTERS
The Centre’s proposal to hold online assessment test, with centres in each district, may smoothen the recruitments process for the non-gazetted positions in the government, which in the recent past had seen multiple legal hurdles, to cheer the youth.
The Union Budget will help in the creation of jobs. It is in the interest of farmers, it will boost continuous development and is a development-oriented budget: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath
If a small part of LIC goes to the public it will increase transparency & accountability... After all, it is public property: Union Minister Piyush Goyal
The govt focus has been ‘Gaon, gareeb and kisan’. The budget’s focus on providing better facilities reinforces the govt’s commitment: Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar
Just platitudes & slogans. Nothing substantial to alleviate peoples’ misery, the growing unemployment...: CPI(M) general-secretary Sitaram Yechury
The longest Budget speech is also the most lacklustre budget ever... it now appears that the govt has also abandoned the target of USD 5 trillion economy: Congress leader Ahmed Patel
Tax cut ki goli mat do (don’t lie about tax cuts). Read the fine print on the so-called IT cuts: Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’ Brien