The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Union budget

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Friday, Jul 10, 2009
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Union budget

The advice that the Union budget 2009-10 should not be judged by the stock market reaction (editorial, July 8) is extremely sound. For once, the budget has tried to focus on rural issues. It appears that the markets took the Finance Minister for granted and expected sops as a matter of right. The route to inclusive progress can be smoothened only through better agricultural health and performance.

R. Swarnalatha,

New Delhi

The UPA government has done its best to present a budget aimed at inclusive growth. Although the immediate stock market reaction can be an indicator, it alone cannot reflect the worthiness and impact of a budget. The Union budget is meant for the common man and the underdeveloped sectors of the economy. Overall, it is in the right direction with policies that support the growth of the middle class, investment in higher education, and efforts to increase efficiency and reduce losses in government-owned enterprises.

Seshadri Ramkumar,

Lubbock, Texas

The government’s commitment to inclusive growth will give the much-needed fillip to development and self-sustenance in the rural sector. It should put in place a system that ensures the development of the farm and allied sectors. A good audit system to monitor the pace and quality of work will help in delivering the promises made to the farm sector.

Nirmala Narayanan,

Bangalore

It is strange that even some of our well-informed citizens think the budget is a magic wand that can make all the economic problems disappear. The corporate sector needs to be patient till the problems of those at the bottom of the ladder are taken care of. The stock market sensitivity needs to be managed through effective regulatory measures.

Rameeza A. Rasheed,

Chennai

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee deserves to be complimented on presenting a creative, nutritive, forward-looking and growth-oriented budget with the focus on the aam aadmi. The budget proposals afford scope for farmers and the rural poor to look forward to a better tomorrow. The salaried class has something to cheer about as the income tax exemption limits have been marginally increased, and the fringe benefit tax has been abolished. Mr. Mukherjee could have shown some consideration to the corporate world by lowering the corporate tax, even if marginally.

The cumulative effect of the budget is bound to be inflationary. As pointed out by Sir Frederick Leith-Ross: “Inflation is like sin; every government denounces it and every government practises it.”

K. Gopakumar Menon,

Thrissur

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