Past two days I was watching both Telugu state government reaction to the budget. I felt happy when I have read a note by one of my friends, on the day budget was presented, in FB, that it is very good. It is an individual perception, he must have felt happy because FM tried to do justice to farm community by raising minimum support price etc. But it appears to me that it was presented with an eye on 2019 General Elections. It read like an election manifesto. Breaking with tradition, Jaitley, has for the first time, presented his budget speech both in Hindi and English, as he has a mastery over said two languages, though it is an unusual thing .and he might have opted to appease both Hindi and non-Hindi speaking states. Normally all political parties, remember “jawans and Kisans””only when elections are round the corner. Probably after seeing the number of farmers who died over the last few years, our FM must have thought that something should be done for them. I was thinking that this budget would bring some hope to many more , after the Demonetisation. But nothing worthwhile has been done to the honest tax payer. Political parties, feel obliged, to respond to it in lukewarm way and may even criticise it , possible. However the Govt’s focus on governance and trying to eliminate corruption is welcome. Some of my friends may disagree with me but the fact of the matter is that Gujarat Assembly election results, which suggested rural anger, seemed to have weighed heavily on the full budget before next Lok Sabha elections. Farmers are now promised a widened crop price support and the poor are offered a health insurance cover of 5 lakhs per family. It is a liberal budget, but very disappointing for the middle class and the expectation of change in income Tax exemption limit has been belied. With regards to allocations to our both states, which pinned hopes, on it that it would shower funds to propel development have dashed, and all the leaders are unanimous in expressing their anguish on the Modi Govt. You May not be surprised even to see that TDP May severe its ties with BJP, like Shivsena in Maharashtra. To me it appeared that this budget was an uninspiring as it has not addressed unemployment, and poor man’s woes. All budgets are always about using the taxes, imposed on the middle class, to get votes, of the poor, and to give subsidies to the rich. Even this budget saw FM proposing to raise the salaries of President, Vice-President, Governors. Etc. If you ask me It is absurd thing. who asked for it? Was it really required and are they starved of funds? Besides, huge chunk of salaries, they also enjoy lot of perks, and protocols etc. Where is the need for it? Any budget becomes meaningful only when the proposals, of previous year’s budget are met. As there is no mention of previous projects in this, I strongly believe that it is a mere rhetoric.