I think the way the middle class can manage is by following their pandemic practices i. e. rationing. Manage with whatever u have, buy only what is needed and use, use pre loved items etc
– Agnes Fatima Pinto,
student, Vasco
There is no managing. It is survival from now on. If the income prospects grow only then people will be able to manage a balanced lifestyle.
– Poonam Ribo, Morjim
While the 2022 Union Budget has been touted as a “Zero Sum budget” and “a damp squib” that neglects to take into account the needs of the everyday man, what needs to be understood is that economic upliftment cannot be waved like a magic wand making all the financial evils disappear.
There appears to be a possibility for the State Government to start giving subsidies to its residents since the allocation towards State expenditure has been increased to 1 lakh Crores (from 15,000 Crores) in the 2022 Union Budget.
Ever since the second wave of the Pandemic in March peaked last year, I witnessed a slew of small businesses crop up in my locality. This signalled the growth of entrepreneurial activity in the State, which demonstrated the resilience of the common man against the economic slump.
The struggle for essentials and the constant need to optimise economic decision making represents a lowering in the disposable income of goan families. A concerning trend which needs to be curbed at the state-level. Therefore, opportunity creation for entrepreneurs through business incubation, offering free up-skilling programs to increase employability in specialised industries, and SGST relaxation on essential goods are the need of the hour.
– Moses Pinto, Advocate, Margao
The Finance Budget has little or nothing to do with the middle class, since most of them don’t even come under it. They’re stuck paying their rent, EMI, LIC, Medical insurance, have no benefit through tax, voting a different person every time hoping something will change, and just striving to have something like a retirement fund in the future, be it a PF at retirement or a house to give to their kids at their marriage. Be born and die, there is little life in between.
– Mayanka Halarnkar, Corporate Executive, Bicholim
Well, the FM needs to meticulously define and explain to whom so ever has been referred to in this budget. With all the experience of the present govt over the past 8yrs and with the FM for the past 3 years, it has become important to read the fine print with high power lens. This is to decipher what’s not written but implied. Satya is the truth as it is and Sacchayi is the version of truth understood..
Managing cost is the best activity all the middle class does with a hint of a smile. But yes there are also limits to everything. Rise in collection of GST connected to growth rate then make GST@100% so growth rate will be 70% instead of 9.2%. I remember in 2006 there was a big headline in the leading News paper.., “Peanuts for the Common Man”. I would tweak it to make it relevant to this budget “No more even Peanuts to the Common Man”
– Tirthprasad Nagvekar, Entrepreneur, Hubli
This government seems to take its cue from Marie Antoinette…if you can’t have bread, eat cake. The cost of living has increased exponentially, especially post Covid. Also other uncertainties like availability of jobs etc make these times even tougher. Instead of providing some tax benefits and also bringing down the cost of cylinders, the middle class tax payers are left in the lurch yet again.
– Priya George,
House wife, Bicholim
Actually I don’t think that the budget is not offering anything to the middle class. I firmly believe that freebies & sops given every time there is an election round the corner, harms us in the long term more. Yes in the short term it may seem that us in the middle class have not received much, but if you look at how much infrastructure spending has been allocated as an example, those who are employed will probably get pay rises, and those who are unemployed, will have more jobs. Again MSMEs getting more money in terms of loan extensions etc, which again drive a lot of employment locally, means more jobs getting created. I for one firmly believe in the adage, teach a man to fish instead of just giving him fish. Personally I am really glad that this time the budget has been driven by sound fiscal logic, instead of just looking at vote banks. Yes there will be some issues that they could have addressed, or done better, but overall I would still say it is a decent budget, as a lay person who pays her taxes regularly, I want to see that money go towards better mental health welfare, better roads, trains, etc which make our travel smoother, not to mention transport of goods etc, generate lots of jobs, higher incomes for employees too etc, even the increased spend on Khelo India is great, as this works on supporting sports as the grassroots level. So I am happy that it is being spent on all these things, instead of just being given as freebies or subsidies. Yes during Covid the labour class needed free rations etc, due to no jobs etc, but currently there are quite a few folks who will tell you that they have work, but not enough people to hire, so time to change that, especially in Goa. And in other cities and larger towns, there definitely needs to be more job creation.
– Nupura Hautamaki, Marketing & Events Consultant, Guirim
Who said the budget is for the benefit of citizens, it has always been for the benefit of the government. Running short of money? Raise taxes!
– Colin D cruz, Musician, Sangolda
