Budget 2021 dampens middle class families’ hopes

New Delhi, Feb 1 : Covid-19 pandemic-hit middle class families kept their eyes glued to their television screens as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget 2021-22 on Monday morning, but many said that they had expected more from the government.
In this year’s budget, the government has emphasised more on healthcare, infrastructure and other sectors, while providing no particular relief to middle class in terms of income tax exemption. However, in a major relief, senior citizens above 75 years of age are now exempted from filing tax returns.
Besides this, taxpayers were definitely left disappointed as the Union Finance Minister did not announce any change in income tax slabs for them in the much-awaited Union Budget announced during an undeniably tough year.
Homemakers were not content with the announcements. “Since my husband is the only earning member of the family, no relief on his income tax will not only affect my kitchen, but also the education of my children,” said Delhi-based Vinita Kapoor.
Another homemaker said that she did not like the budget. “The government should have made things cheaper at this tough times. Ration and home appliances are getting costlier day by day,” Pushpa Sharma said.
A Delhi-based telecom expert said that the government should have been given some kind of stimulus to the sector.