*For the first time, the FM has focused on healthcare and has come up with multiple avenues of change, right from increased outlay for the National Rural Health Mission to covering Below Poverty Line workers with a health insurance cover of Rs 30,000. But the highlight of the health budget is five-year tax holiday on setting up of hospitals anywhere in India. It is the Tier II and III towns where we desperately need hospitals that can offer qualitative medical services as these areas are growing with paying population especially on qualitative health. However, instead of five years, FM should give 10 years tax holiday as done for the IT industry. —Vishal Bali, CEO, Wockhardt hospital

*This budget has not given much direct attention to the needs of the real estate sector, except in peripheral ways. The industry expected that service tax on rent would be scrapped. The budget seems to have overlooked affordable housing in urban areas. On the positive side the increase of rural infrastructure funding will help alleviate the burden on urban areas by boosting development in rural areas. This will reduce migration to the urban cities, and the burden on urban infrastructure. —Anuj Puri, Chairman and Country Head, Jones Lang Lasalle Meghraj

*The word housing doesn’t seem to figure in the finance minister’s dictionary. The only vague reference to real estate sector is in the five-year tax holiday granted to hospitals that will be set up in Tier II and III towns as well as to 2-star, 3-star and 4-star hotels in UNESCO-specified heritage districts. The already-high cement prices will see an increase due to the increase in excise duty.

There was no mention of any tax incentives for building smaller flats or construction in Tier II and III cities nor does the budget have anything promote to townships. In our representation to the central government, we had asked for service tax exemption for construction and tax exemption to those giving their houses on rent so as to promote rental housing. But none of these have come through.—Mohan Deshmukh, Chairman, Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry

*I think with respect to education, the finance minister has taken steps in the right direction. It is a very balanced budget — he has balanced both the political and economic objectives. The budget allocation for education is up by 20 per cent, setting up of 16 central universities, three IITs, these are all good signs. With 55 per cent of the population of India between 18 years and 25 years, the demand for higher education is tremendous. The supply of higher educational institutions can now meet this increasing demand.—Indu Shahani, Mumbai Sheriff & academician