We would assign a rating of 8 on 10: Kaushal Sampat

Kaushal Sampat, Chief Operating Officer-Dun & Bradstreet India

At a time when the Indian economy is firmly on the revival path, what was required from the Budget was a further push for consumption and investment. The Budget announcements have done just that. The continued thrust on agriculture, infrastructure and rural development will unlock much of the economic growth potential in the medium-term. Although the excise duty rates have been hiked, they still remain at the pre-crisis level and should not be a deterrent in the process of economic recovery. Along with maintaining the focus on broad based growth, the budget has also addressed concerns on the fiscal deficit front. While there were no major big bang announcements in this budget, the overall tone is certainly pro-reformist. The Budget has emphasized on the Government’s intent towards moving forward on the reform agenda. Overall, it is a positive budget and we would assign a rating of 8 on 10.