Views on Union Budget: Missed Opportunities, Commendable Initiatives

The Budget has nothing to offer for the middle class. There's been no change in tax slabs, increase in exemption limit, railway concession for students. Unemployment, farmers not getting a due price for produce, manufacturing sector and factories have all been ignored

.--Riyaaz Baig, IT professional, social activist

Although only 4.5 per cent of the Budget has been allocated for health and education, I learnt that the education sector has received its highest-ever allocation yet and I believe it's high time the country made better efforts to make education accessible and inclusive for students of diverse needs, especially tier 3 and rural areas.-- Reema Putla,BCom student

Employees and teachers are not happy. The Centre has cheated wage-earners by not revising the income-tax rates and increasing subsidies. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman seems to have no compassion for employees and made it clear which section she would benefit from by reducing corporate tax from 30 per cent to 22 per cent and has proved the ruling party's class interest.-- Chava Ravi, General secretary, TS UTF

The 2024 Interim Budget introduces promising initiatives for the start-up ecosystem but falls short in addressing some critical challenges. The extension of tax benefits and the ₹1 lakh crore innovation fund are commendable, but there's a lack of specific measures to ease regulatory burdens that hamper start-up growth. The budget does not adequately address the funding crunch, particularly for early-stage start-ups. This is where government support can have the maximum impact. While sectors like digital infrastructure and renewable energy are highlighted, more inclusive support across diverse startup domains would have been helpful

.--Sajju Jain, entrepreneur, Harvard Business School alumnus

Expenditure on health has been increased from ₹79,221 crore to ₹90,171 crore in 2024-25. This is still less than the recommended 2.5 per cent of GDP. It's important to note that out-of-pocket expenses for medical treatment can be a significant burden, and efforts should be made to reduce these. The government's initiative to encourage vaccination for girls in the age group of 9 to 14 years for the prevention of cervical cancer is a significant step. Likewise, the government could address other vaccine-preventable diseases too, not forgetting the adult vaccines.

-- Dr Ranga Reddy Burri, President, Infection Control Academy, honorary professor, University of Hyderabad

It's commendable that there is a strong commitment to research and development (R&D) with a substantial `1-lakh crore corpus allocated to the private sector. As we await the post-election full budget, there’s a need for specific attention to the mental health sector. Allocating resources for infrastructure, qualified professionals, research, and destigmatisation campaigns is imperative to address the escalating mental health crisis in India.

--Tarun Gupta,Co-founder, Lissun-Hyderabad, mental health & emotional wellness start-up

The interim budget is a clear signal of India's continued commitment to technological transformation. Notably, the `1 lakh crore corpus with its 50-year interest-free loans is a game-changer. Iur expectations included a stronger emphasis on AI research funding, particularly through initiatives like the Start-up India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), to bolster the Generative AI domain. This investment not only nurtures our talent pool but also positions India for global leadership in artificial intelligence.-- Rahul Paith, CEO of MATH (Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Technology Hub), Hyderabad