Promises collide with reality as Bhopalis express doubts, disappointment & hopes

Voices ranging from hope & optimism to despair & disappointment and even indifference emerged as TOI talked to common people on their take on the Union Budget

Dhanraj Ahirwar, who has a provision store, said that the only thing he knows about the budget is that cigarette and gutkha prices have gone up quite substantially.

Gyandev Mishra, a builder, said that the Budget is like any ‘regular' Budget but the government with measures like big exemption from income tax in the previous Budget and exemption in GST recently had raised the expectations of the people and when it was not met, they felt disappointed.

It's also the reason why Sensex also fell after the Budget presentation.

Anupam Agarwal, a wholesale grain merchant, said that the Budget is good for the common man as it has nothing which hurts their interests in any manner.

Prerna Sharma, a housewife, expressing disappointment over Budget, said it has nothing for women and children. " It's more of a bookish exercise with a lot of promises, which perhaps don't hold that much of meaning for common man" she said.