BALASORE: The Union Budget has evoked mixed reactions in North Odisha with the focus remaining on Micro Small Medium Enterprise (MSME) and redefining of Small Medium Enterprise (SME) sector.
BJD MP from Balasore Rabindra Kumar Jena said the Budget is a forward looking one but has a huge regional disparity. “While the Budget has attempted to spur growth and investment in the country, regional development in Odisha, which has been consistently suffering from natural calamities, has been grossly neglected,” he observed.
The Government has attempted to address a wide gamut of issues ranging from agriculture, rural development, industrialisation and tax rationalisation, he said adding that the allocation of funds for the start-up capital will give a good opportunity to the youth of the country.
A business executive, Santosini Das, welcomed the Government’s move in empowering women with the allocation of funds for ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojna’. The move for relaxation on tax payment has also been appreciated by many. A tax consultant, RK Behera, said basic tax exemption limit for individuals and senior citizens raised by `50,000 would result in tax savings of over `5,000 for all tax payers. “The effort to increase the tax slab for the salaried class will ensure higher disposable income and thus better purchasing power,” he said.