Tata Motors Limited has already revalidated the feeling by announcing that it will reduce the prices of its small cars and commercial vehicles (including buses, bus chassis and bus body). “The new applicable prices will be announced in the next few days,” said a statement from the company.

Arun Firodia, chairman and managing director, Kinetic Motors, also said a cut was in the offing. “Dealers have stocks purchased at a higher rate which need to be exhausted before the price reduction. It will surely boost demand for two-wheelers,” said Firodia.

Ravi Kumar, vice-president business development, Bajaj Auto said that while the excise cut is a welcome move, the real challenge that the auto industry is facing today is the credit crunch.

The feel good factor has also obviously percolated to the auto component industry that forms a large and significant part of the growing auto cluster in Pune. B N Kalyani, chairman and managing director Bharat Forge Ltd said reduction of duty on vehicles and critical input material are significant. Amit Kalyani, executive director Bharat Forge added: “There will be more money in the hands of the consumers, inflation will be under control and a boost given to capital goods,” he said.

Madhur Bajaj, president, MCCIA and vice chairman Bajaj Auto Ltd however said that they had been asking for keeping a differential between small cars and two wheelers, which has not happened.

As far as the IT sector is concerned, many are feeling largely ignored, even though they are willing to look at the positives to tide over their disappointments.

Partha Iyengar, vice-president (research) Gartner India feels there is not a huge positive or negative in the budget for the IT industry and this itself is a positive thing. “We need to get past the mode of thinking that the budget holds the key to alter the face of the industry, which is an indication of the sector having matured,” said Iyengar.