VIZAG: There have been mixed reactions from various sections of the society on the annual union budget presented by finance minister Nirmala Seetaraman on Monday.
Manisha Das, a student of MBA, said there is no succour for people affected by Covid-19. Though families had got uprooted and lakhs of people lost their jobs in the pandemic, the finance minister has made no significant announcement for this section of people.
A. V. S. Lalitha Sundari, co-convenor of CII, Visakhapatnam, however, welcomed the increase in outlay for healthcare sector. She said announcement of Rs. 2.30 lakh crore for health and wellbeing is a welcome move.
G. S. Giridharan, CFO and company secretary, South Asia LPG Company Pvt. Ltd., said infrastructure projects, economy and GDP of the country will get a boost due to the union budget, leading to flow of foreign investments into the county.
Baargav Duggurala, chair, Yi Visakhapatnam chapter, said logistics contribute to 13–14 percent of India’s GDP. Announcement of the National Rail Plan 2030 and creation of infrastructure in the form of industrial corridors will help reduce costs. This, in turn, will boost manufacturing and make India economy stronger, he observed.
Our Kakainada correspondent adds:
There has been widespread anger, disappointment and anguish over the union budget, especially over imposing cess on petroleum products. Many said it will deliver a crippling blow to economy, as transport will become much more costly, having an adverse impact on all sectors of the society.
“Already petrol and diesel charges have been hiked thrice in a week, with petrol price crossing Rs. 95 per litre. Due to imposing of cess now, the price will cross Rs. 100 mark soon. It will become a burden n common man’,’ said Bahujana Shakthi Adarsa Praja Sangham president Neredumilli Nagadhar.
He demanded that the union government withdraw its cess and reduce oil prices immediately. In this context, he pointed out that during elections in 2014, BJP had promised to people that it will supply petrol at Rs.50 per litre.
