Finance Minister (FM) Arun Jaitley has presented his fourth budget amidst protest by the Opposition. This budget was a good one as compared to his previous budgets. The FM has treaded cautiously and avoided big ticket reforms. He has given much needed  relief to ordinary taxpayers and MSMEs. However, I am disappointed with this budget. I was hoping that the government would announce corporatisation of the Railways since the rail budget has been merged with the general budget. Nor did he announce the privatisation of Air India. It is beyond me why the money of taxpayers is used to run a rogue airline like Air India. If Kingfisher can be closed, Air India can be shut too.
Government should also have allowed private players to distribute LPG, thereby ending the government’s monopoly in the market. Similarly, it should have privatised the infrastructure sector, etc., for road construction. If road construction is privatised, then our road connectivity will improve, which will make it much easier to do business. Government should limit itself to construction of roads in the rural areas only. FM should have done away with redundant regulations to make it easier to do business. I will give this budget 6/10.
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