ROURKELA: THE business community, politicians and common people in the mining and industrial district of Sundargarh have hailed the Union Budget 2017 as progressive and lauded the steps taken to meet the aspirations of people while focusing on job creation, transparency, urban rejuvenation and rural development. Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram called it a historic and progressive Budget with major thrust on rural, agriculture, allied sectors and employment generation.
The Budget has taken care of all sections, including the middleclass, farmers, poor, and small and medium industries. Local industrialist and former president of Odisha Sponge Iron Manufacturers’ Association Gouri Shankar Agarwal said the thrust on infrastructure development and housing schemes would boost steel and cement industries and also generate employment opportunities.
Former president of Rourkela Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) Subrata Patnaik said MSMEs are employmentoriented industries and cut in corporate tax would help them. Progressive farmer and retired armyman Bijay Xalxo said the highest ever allocation of `48,000 crore to MGNREGS is a good move.