MY BUDGET: Raseel Gujral

Has Finance Minister P Chidambaram steered the economy out of the woods?
After seeing the Budget and reading the highlights, I am struggling to find something new or innovative in it. I don't think the finance minister has steered the economy towards anything: be it towards or away from disaster; I don't think he has done anything. At the end of the day, I think it is individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit who take the economy forward. They are the ones who take initiatives. I don't think the government plays a decisive role in that.

Is this a populist, please-all budget?
I am not an economist, hence, I can only give a general perspective. There is a lot of pull here, push there. They have announced schemes, such as the all-women bank and the Nirbhaya fund, and outlays made for education, department of disabilities, health, the Food Security Bill and human resources; but there is nothing here that will make you sit up and take notice. As a country, we are an optimistic, enterprising set of people; hence, we will take this Budget also positively.

Will it help the economy, create jobs, restart stalled projects?
That's all hogwash! There is nothing new here that will help job creation or the economy.

Will it help UPA win votes in the general elections?
I don't want to comment much on that but I don't think the Budget will have any bearing on it.

Raseel Gujral,

Entrepreneur, interior designer