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Shilpa Varde, 58, Retired teacher
Withdrawal of outstanding income tax demands is a welcome step. On the home front, the government must ensure that there is no surge in the prices of vegetables, which puts additional burden on the kitchen budget. This can be done with improved infrastructure and storage facilities for farmers in local mandis.

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Arun Kalbag, 71, Retired technocrat
The best features are the education initiatives, especially for girls, whose enrolment has gone up by 28 per cent. This is the very foundation of women’s empowerment, self-reliance and economic independence, but the government has to ensure that much more is done in this field as the quality of education is equally important and must be clubbed with skill development. The increased allocation for new universities of higher learning like IITs and IIMs is another positive.

Akshay Kalbag, 41, Writer and blogger
Unemployment has been a cause for concern since Independence. Currently, it is vital that more opportunities are created on a war footing, considering the fact that we are a young country, which can be a huge asset. Start-up India appears to be a good initiative, as it will create new job opportunities.

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Vinod Joshi, 71, Retired MNC supply-chain exec
It is good that there were no freebies for votes, because I strongly feel that once a precedent is set, it becomes counterproductive in the long run, as we have witnessed in some major economies of the West. Being an avid traveller, I welcome the initiative for better road and air connectivity as long as environmental concerns are not compromised and proper infrastructure is boosted to cater to the increasing number of tourists.

Dr Pooja Joshi, 40, Practicing homeopath
There has to be more emphasis on women’s health, which is lacking especially in rural India. Making sanitary pads more pocket friendly will ensure that all women will have access to hygienic menstrual protection at affordable rates and not depend on used cloth and handkerchiefs, which are washed and reused.

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Suvarna Kulkarni, 52, Entrepreneur and homemaker
Education, entrepreneurship, ease of living and dignity are four vital pillars of women empowerment. On the one hand, the Micro Units Development Limited, popularly known as Mudra Yojana, appears to be a positive step, the government has to ensure that benefits reach the deserving and proper training is given on the principals of doing business and managing manpower to ensure that the start-ups can sustain financially in a competitive market.

Ameeta Kalbag, 65, Retired MNC GM
In view of the upcoming elections, everyone expected major announcements. But ‘First Develop India’ is a huge statement in a capsule. The strata that do not come within the taxable income bracket will upgrade themselves automatically, thanks to overall development in India. Sabka prayas, sabka vikas will happen. It is a fair and cautious budget with no negatives.

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Alka Joshi, 66, Retired banker and teacher
The reforms announced in the National Education Policy seem to be a welcome step, but it has to remain an ongoing and a progressive process, keeping up with the changing dynamics of our country. More medical colleges are the need of the hour, considering our population. Apart from basic healthcare, we have to be prepared to face any new challenges from pandemics, which keep threatening the world.

Vishwajit Kulkarni, 58, Architect
Controlling the fiscal deficit, encouraging eco-friendly, alternate sources of energy and no changes in the direct or indirect taxes are the positive features of the budget. Although it is the last budget before the elections, it was good to see that there were no unnecessary doles or schemes to lure voters. The (conditional) withdrawal of unsubstantiated outstanding direct tax demands will be beneficial for the middle class.