As the 12th Karnataka Budget’17 was unveiled on Wednesday, there’s no refuting how the air was filled with sighs of relief. Social media went into a tizzy, all thanks to stoked city folk appreciating the injection of youth-friendly initiatives that have finally come to the fore.
In a candid chat, Bengaluru Chronicle gets chatty with young ‘city-zens’ for their inputs... Not to forget, the lift on VAT on wine, beer, and hard liquor spells yay and extended happy hours, indeed.
Walking the talk, finally, “Fitness occupies a sizable part in the lives of many a youth in the city. From working professionals biking to work to marathons becoming quite a norm, it’s a well-thought out approach to allocate about a 1000 crore for improving the footpaths.
In fact, when the government proposes such well-thought out ideas, it captures the pulse of the city and motivates us to respect the bodies better. Creating a 200 km footpath stretch will not only encourage more people to actually take to the footpath, but will egg many more people on to take to cycling and giving geared vehicles a break.
The city at present is certainly not pedestrian-friendly, so I’m certain the move will get people moving!”, opines Anil Shetty, social entrepreneur and author.
Namma budget, hopefully namma!: Incidentally, The Namma Canteen initiative is being perceived as a double-edged sword. Opining about the same, Akanksha Singh, a young entrepreneur in town, adds, “It’s a brilliant move, as the cost of living has sky-rocketed. And for the strata, which can’t keep up, I think it’s high time we bring about such tangible reforms. These are necessities and filling your tummy in 10 bucks is huge. But again, up until the initiative gets a little stringent in its execution, enabling only those who truly deserve the provision, I shall be skeptic. The whole point is to enable a child from a lower economical background to buy himself a lunch, and not a government official to scam off the deal. So, honestly, I’m waiting to see how it pans out. I hope IDs are issued and a verification is done so that the facility is utilised by the right hands.”
Anil Shetty
To meddle or not, with movies? Adding to how the need for BPL cards is essential and a microscopic look into the efficient running of the budget, Anil adds, “While the mandatory screening of Kannada movies is long due, let’s not forget that movie watching is an aspirational activity. The stash on movie tickets may be a lop-sided approach, as businesses like that shouldn’t be meddled with. I believe it’s a realistic budget.”
Sara M Anand
Looking at the glass as half-full, Sara Anand, a 26 year old cosmetologist and beauty expert, believes the introduction of innovative forums heralds newer beginnings. “Considering somebody gave enough thought to offer laptops to students, I’d like to give my thumbs up to the educational aspect of the budget. We’re the next generation, and equipping people to do well is probably the only way forward. I also wish, this gives way to newer forms of learning and e-education which will foster more employment for tutors. Education in India is overrated but not easy for many. And hopefully, we’d be able to take baby steps towards the same.”
