Interim budget : Jalandhar residents have high hopes

Jalandhar, January 31

As the Union Government is set to present its last interim budget on Thursday months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, city residents have their fingers crossed. The residents said they were expecting new budget regime to be full of more doles and more exemptions so as to have a mass appeal and win over the voters in the coming elections. Jalandhar Tribune spoke to some city residents to know what they were expecting out of it.

To be wholesome populist tadka

Since it is a pre-election budget, it will be a budget with a wholesome populist tadka. We are expecting an increase in the basic exemption limit and some favourable changes in the standard deduction of income tax and housing loan schemes. The government shall also certainly follow its long-term trajectory to encourage capital expenditure in railways, defence and public infrastructure. Puneet Oberoi, Chartered Accountant

Expecting some relief in income tax

This is election year. Like every other ordinary tax payer of the country, I am also expecting some relief in income tax. Salaried employees can certainly expect more tax rebates. Representing legal fraternity, I have specific points on agenda, including funds for lawyers to be doled out in the event of untimely deaths, infrastructural developments of courts and complete digitisation. Mandeep Sachdev, Advocate

Must get good price for crops

Main expectation of farmers from the budget is MSP on all crops and implementation of report of Swaminathan Commission. We are not demanding any subsidy on power, fertilisers or even atta dal scheme. We are just demanding that we get a good, assured price for all our crops. Income of farmers has not increased in accordance with the salaries of government employees. Balwinder S Malli Nangal, Farmer

Focus should be to conserve nature

Being an environment lover, I expect the Centre to focus on certain points that can help conserve nature. Ideally, there should be subsidies on installation of rain water harvesting systems. There should be an approved budget for conservation of existing forest areas, water bodies and solid waste management. As an architect, I am also expecting reduction in the levies on basic building materials like cement and steel. Meenal Verma, Environmentalist and Architect