I am glad that there was no increase in the direct taxes slab. But I expected the budget to provide a hike in standard deduction from the existing Rs.50,000 for salaried persons like me, given the pandemic situation. That amount could have been used to manage growing expenditure.
Many people like me would have been affected by the pandemic as medical and education expenses have gone up. It was disappointing that the budget did not give any increase in standard deduction for taxpayers. The Centre could have allocated education as a separate category for standard deduction and also made announcements on measures to reduce fuel cost. Health care could have been given more focus.
E-passport is a welcome initiative as it will ensure security of passports and eliminate duplication. The online transfer facility of funds between post office and bank accounts is another good effort particularly for senior citizens. While it is welcome to move towards sustainable mobility, we will have to wait to see how the battery swapping policy is implemented and helps promote electric vehicles.
(D. Balachander is a software engineer by trade and lives with his family of six)
