Sunday, March 4, 2007

The Ideal Budget

It’s been three days since the budget was presented, and all major media vehicles took the pains of analyzing it and presenting it to their semi-literate audience that can hardly realize the difference between a CAT and a VAT, it seems futile, for the budget didn’t had anything worth explaining. Taking a note of the fact that this was one of the worst budgets ever presented in Indian parliament, I sat down to think what an ideal budget would be?

Would it be the one where the prices of human food are reduced, instead of dog food? Or will it be the one which as an exception reduces the taxes. Any of it, would do, but then they may be idealistic for the country, not for me. Because, for one I buy neither pet food, nor human one, that’s taken care of for me. And I don’t pay taxes, and have no plans of doing so for next couple of years. So, I start dwelling upon the question of ideal budget for me and I am not going to talk like the idealist who have not seen any poverty in their lives but would still make claims and decide for the poor. I will be what I am, and I represent hundreds of thousands of MTV watching, Coke drinking youngsters like me.

I believe, it should have, as a matter of policy, scrapped any taxes on fast food (I have no clue if there are any), well, Mr. Finance Minister, we have to pay for it from the meager pocket money that we get. So, while I visit McDonalds, I have to return with a VegSurprise and sometimes a small coke, if I am blessed, and that defeats the sole purpose of going to McDonalds. I would also like to include that from the perspective of the pocket money, I can easily be included among the poorest of poor. Also, there should be a subsidy for computer games, which the government must consider, keeps the kids off the streets and out of the harms ways. This keeps the supply of work force constant and hence, keeps the economy booming. Therefore, ideally the CD’s and DVD’s should be provided free of cost, if not that then there should be a huge subsidy on them.

The third, thing that I expect from an ideal budget is rationing of designer goods. This would lead to boosting the confidence of those who can not afford it and would also eliminate the disparities in the society. This budget also saw an increase in the duty on importing cars into India. This means Amithab Bacchan would have to spend a little more change when he decides to gift his son another Bentley or Porsche, for a change. But not an ideal budget, not at all, that would subsidize imported cars, for the simple reason that they produce less smoke and would lead to reducing pollution in the air, which would increase the health of the population and would lead to a better economy. Push and Pull economics Mr. Finance Minister.

Well, I would sum up my description of ideal budget, by saying that the ideal budget should be ideal for all quarters of society and hence for people like me too. The description may lead to the so called idealist cribbing, but then as I say, these are my views, and it may not necessarily match yours, if they don’t, get one thing, you are wrong.


E&OE

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