Even as various sectors in Pune wait anxiously for Union Budget 2008 to unravel on Friday, wish lists have been drawn up and avid discussions are on as to what the Finance Minister is planning to spring on the populace this year. Because this emerging hub for sectors like automobile, IT, real estate, education, health and floriculture has a lot riding on what P Chidambaram has to say that day.

And even as the bigwigs toss about their share of demands and expectations, there is also the often neglected yet immensely important section of people comprising the disabled and senior citizens who hope, like in the previous year, that the budget provisions will finally integrate them with the mainstream. The Indian Express captures the moods of anxiety and expectation in the city on the budget eve.

Rahul Bajaj, CMD, Bajaj Auto Limited: The budget needs to be pro-industry and pro-employment as industrial growth slowed down substantially in November 2007. This was partly due to the rupee appreciation and partly because loans were not available a very good rate; hence there was a paucity of funds. All this hurt the Indian industry. There should be no reduction in the peak rate of duty. Across the board, excise duty should come down from the existing 16 per cent to 14 per cent and for two-wheelers it should come down from 15 per cent to 8 per cent. Corporate tax should come down to 25 per cent with no surcharge and cess. For the individual too, tax should be reduced to 25 per cent.

Ganesh Natrajan, Chairman, Zensar Technologies: My wish list comprises STPI, STPI and STPI. The software technology parks need to be given the same benefits as the SEZs or else the smaller industries are in deep trouble and we are headed towards an unequal partnership. There is a lot of confusion on the input services to exporters and there is a demand that the entire chain should be made tax-free.

Arun Firodia, CMD, Kinetic Motors: We need massive investment in infrastructure with public-private partnership and innovative ways to bring money from parallel economy into the main stream. This could include setting up of private infrastructure companies exclusively for infrastructure development that would be tax-free. Also, no questions should be asked about the source of their investment. They can float bonds that people can buy, also without having to explain their source of income. As far as the auto industry is concerned we need good roads to move ahead and by this I do not mean just the Golden Quadrilateral but link roads between villages and towns because that is what will propel growth and trade. Rural India needs massive investments.
Our complicated tax structure with numerous exemptions and irritants like cess, surcharge, FBT, MAT need to be simplified.

Kumar Gera, Managing Director, Gera Developers and Chairman, Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI): We want anything that can bring down the input costs in order to bring down prices for the end user. Section 80 IB should be re-instituted to give tax exemptions for those making smaller units. There should be increase in tax exemption to the borrower who has to repay the loan; his interest should be deducted from his income. Also, encouragement needs to be given to rental stock in the country as it indirectly helps various other sectors involved in hiring and movement of people.

Bhushan Mahajan, former President of Pune Stock Exchange: We expect the FM to continue with exemptions for equity and mutual fund investments, namely the exemption of payment of long term capital gains tax, if shares are held for a period of one year and concessional rate of short term capital gains tax. We also want him to clarify the taxability on short-term capital gains. We are also hoping that the budget comes out with a policy, so that common investors are able to make real estate investments.

Anuradha Desai, Chairperson, Venkateshwara Hatcheries: Bird flu has taken its toll on the poultry industry that has been surviving on a slender margin for the last two years. With borders of West Bengal shut to the produce sent from the southern states, the movement of broiler eggs and table eggs has instead been diverted to states up north. As a result, prices have crashed due to excess production. The industry is also smarting under a steep rise in essential feed prices. The government needs to look at the issue of control of prices of maize. The government should give a moratorium on loans to the poultry sector for two years.

Vidya Yerwadekar, Joint Director, Symbiosis: We want good fund allocation to the education sector. With the National Knowledge Commission working towards housing 1,500 universities by 2015 in the country and the Prime Minister also taking keen initiative, this should only attract more funds allocated for this sector. Education needs to be treated as any other industry. We hope the FM allocates enough funds for improving the higher education sector as well.

Dr K B Grant, Chairman and Managing Trustee, Grant Medical Foundation and Ruby Hall Clinic: The budget needs to allocate more funds to tackle diseases that are coming up in a big way. These include hypertension, cancer, heart diseases and kidney ailments. Despite assurances in the past, infrastructure and sanitation in rural areas is one area that has been neglected. Services need to be improved at the primary health sector and the government needs to spend more in terms of prevention of the diseases.

Pandurang Tawre, Director, Agri-tourism Development Organisation: We hope that loans are waived off for small and marginal landholders. We want load shedding to be called off for the farm sector that is facing 12-18 hours of daily power cuts. Agricultural tourism should be considered as a mainstream tourism activity with adequate subsidies. Small farmers should be motivated to start contract farming and encouraged to sell their products directly to malls and government should give more subsidies to build infrastructure for the same. New areas in agriculture, such as agri-tourism, emu bird farming and biotech nursery plantations need subsidies.

K K Kutty, General Secretary, Central Govt Civilian Pensioners Assn: We are hoping that there is a revision in the minimum pension. We also hope there is no cancellation of the Central Government Health Scheme as was proposed and there are more hospitals that will cater to the senior citizens under this health scheme.

Samir Ghosh, Disability Activist and World Bank Consultant: There should be proper fund allocations in the areas of sports, culture and arts for the disabled sector. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan should be integrated and teaching tools for the disabled sector should be provided. There is also dearth of higher education opportunities for the disabled and this needs to improve. Even benchmarks for scholarships need a relook. There is also not much technology available for vocational training for the disabled.

Shrikant Paranjpye, chairman, Paranjpye Schemes: The rate of interest for construction finance and housing finance should come down. The FM has been requesting banks to give more money to loans, so we are hopeful that this means a decrease in the rate is also in the offing. We also want certain sops for those involved in construction of low cost housing.

Dr Anant Phadke, Co-Convenor, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Centre for Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes: Healthcare expenditure still remains at one per cent of the GDP as against what was promised in the UPA government’s common minimum programme. Insurance coverage is very limited and better packages have to be designed to meet the needs of people living below the poverty line. Nothing has been done to address mental health needs and emergency medical services in the country. The range of guaranteed services is very narrow and despite grand plans, a lot needs to be done at the rural level.

Hans Billimoria, Project Manager for DISHA, Deep Griha’s Integrated Service for HIV/AIDS: The National AIDS Control Programme (phase III) aims at halting and reversing the epidemic by 2012. It was approved with a total outlay of Rs 8,023 crore from 2007-2012. The only expectation is that the money reaches grassroot levels and gets translated into real interventions. The World Bank had recently highlighted corrupt practices in various states while reviewing the second phase of the National AIDS Control Programme.