The Union Budget is an investment oriented one which keeps fiscal prudence in mind. Hence, while the size of the Budget has increased significantly with the focus on capex, the deficit has been reined in at 6.4% and hence indicates a graduated descent on the FRBM path. However, this deficit will still mean high borrowing comparable to that of last year. We may expect interest rates to be elevated and can look forward to the RBI to do more regular fine tuning to balance liquidity with growing demand. There is a push on several sectors such as solar energy, EVs, housing, telecom, defence, hospitality etc. This will help to provide a push to the private sector too. The push to digitisation especially in banking is welcome and setting up 75 units in various districts is the right step. Further, the extension of the ECLGS for another year with enhanced limit will be good for the banking sector. We also see the issue of green sovereign bonds an innovative measure which will provide a boost to this category of debt market. We can see this leading down the road to further such issuances in the corporate bond market too

"The budget continues to strike a balance between the challenges posed by the recurring COVID-19 waves and the need to contain the economic damage due to pandemic. The budget achieves this delicate balance quite well. The emphasis going forward is on seven parallel tracks - PM GatiShakti, Inclusive Development, Productivity Enhancement & Investment, Sunrise Opportunities, Energy Transition and Climate Action and Financing of Investments. On the banking and finance side the announcements are significant. The budget proposes to set up 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) in 75 districts of the country by Scheduled Commercial Banks. This proposal is in sync with our ongoing digital banking initiatives. The most significant announcement of the budget are higher allocation to Capital expenditure and extension of ECLGS - particularly the specific support to hospitality & related sectors. The Budget is a very well-crafted statement of intent, drawing from the experience and enhances growth prospects of India in post COVID world."

"The Budget is growth-inducing and does the heavy lifting by sharply increasing capital expenditure. The focus on boosting manufacturing as well as an underlined emphasis on areas such as startups, modern mobility and clean energy, shows the FM has prioritised long-term growth. Individual taxpayers may feel a bit disappointed with the lack of direct tax cuts but this Budget lays the ground for a multi-year growth boom. The FY23 fiscal deficit has come in higher than expectations. Let's hope the interest rates and inflation do not remain high for long."

"Mastercard welcomes the continued focus on digital and financial inclusion in the Finance Minister's Budget 2022 speech. Setting up Digital Banking Units (DBUs) and bringing post offices into the core banking system, will help expand the reach of financial services to the last mile. The extension of Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) will boost MSME recovery and growth by providing them with liquidity and helping them meet working capital requirements. Start-ups will benefit from tax benefits that will spur further innovation and boost employment in the country."

"The Finance Ministry has presented a growth-oriented budget with focus on infrastructure and development. Creation of unified logistics platform and developments of 100 new cargo terminals in the next three years are significant steps in improving the supply chain eco system in the country. Many measures have been around digital adoption and ease of doing business initiatives which will improve business efficiency and go a long way in driving economic growth. The Government has reiterated its commitment towards Housing for All by allocating Rs 48000 crore towards this scheme, around the same as last year. Interventions to improve credit to the pandemic afflicted MSME sector including hospitality industry is also a step in the right direction. Infrastructure status given to Data Centers will provide a huge boost to the fast evolving digital environment of the country. The FM has said that the SEZ Act will be replaced with a new law and we will be waiting for further details given the significant impact of this on the commercial real estate sector. However, the government could have given further boost to the housing sector given the strong multiplier effect the sector has on the economy. The sector would have benefitted immensely by demand boosting tax benefit measures. The housing sector has made a substantial recovery from the pandemic lows and due attention here would have gone a long way in sustaining the growth momentum."

"The Union Budget 2022-23 has set a great example of continuity of reforms by focusing on increasing capex in infrastructure development, boosting domestic manufacturing and enhancing digitisation. The government is aware of the high-inflation environment and has cautiously refrained from revenue expenditure profligacy. The budget has emphasised the importance of inclusive development with the announcements supporting the MSME and rural sector. Barring hikes in select import duties for encouraging localisation, the budget has not tinkered much with the tax rates but instead honoured wealth creation by capping of the LTCG surcharge and imposition of no wealth taxes. Efforts at acknowledging digital currency (from introduction of the same to taxing its gains), climatic change, 5G technology and EV infrastructure are unlikely to go unnoticed and lays path for a future-ready India."

The Budget maintained a fine balance between boosting job creation, supporting startups, sunrise and core industries, MSME's and rural development along with a thrust towards greater financial inclusion and digitization. Both direct and indirect tax collections continue to be robust, thus justifying the unchanged tax rates. Extension of ECLGS with additional allocation to the hardest pandemic hit sectors like hospitality is a welcome move to empower the struggling MSME's in becoming more resilient to cope with muted growth in the sector. Simultaneously, the revamp of CGTSME and large capex spend will be an added opportunity for banks to extend lending with lower credit costs, albeit at a higher interest rate. The setting up of 75 digital banking units and 1.5 lakh post offices coming on the core banking platform, combined with an increasing penetration of smart phones will provide a major boost to Financial Inclusion. Moreover, it paves the path for new banking models, which could be 100% digital, thereby reducing cost of lending, improved service standards and wider geographic reach.

The Finance Minister has presented a pro-growth and forward-looking budget. It has complemented macro growth with social welfare, while being accommodative on fiscal consolidation. The budget has differentiated itself with its focus on the digital economy, startups, and tech-enabled development as well as energy transition and climate action. The capex-heavy budget has reiterated focus on public investment to modernize infrastructure over the medium term. The overall focus is clearly to nurture growth and support the economic recovery.

"We welcome the growth-oriented budget with a focus on the four pillars - productivity, climate action, financing investments, and PM Gati Shakti plan. These are concrete steps in the right direction, and overtime should positively impact the economy. The increased Capex outlay of Rs.7.50 lakh crore further demonstrates the intent of the government to create the necessary impetus for the economy. Stability in tax policy is also a welcome step".

The Union Budget 2022-23 is a Budget with a vision to transform India in the medium term. The budget has adopted new economic growth template for "Amrit Kaal" (run up to India@100) by promoting capital expenditure led economic growth. Outlay of Capital expenditure of Rs 7.5 lakh crore, up ~35% YoY (and at 2.9% of GDP) along with expanding the scope of private capex through PLI for new age segments is expected to deliver inclusive growth, job creation and welfare for all. The Budget also seem to be presented in the backdrop of likely pandemic aftereffect which is reflective in the relatively conservative estimation of growth (merely ~11% nominal GDP in FY23) and receipts. Thus, there is a likelihood of lower than projected fiscal deficit. With growth oriented focus intact in the Budget, we expect economic and capital market buoyancy to remain.

"The Government plans to boost swifter movement of goods across the country and to support the same one of the main initiatives mentioned in the budget was "Gati Shakti" plan, which envisages, amongst other thing, improvising better rail connectivity. It's encouraging for the sector to see government's increasing focus on planning, financing through innovative ways, use of technology, and speedier implementations. The alignment of projects in National Infrastructure Pipeline, Gati Shakti Masterplan for expressways, 100 new cargo terminals for multi-nodal logistics will boost connectivity and will be a transformative approach for economic growth and sustainable development in India. We hope that the Unified Logistics Interface Platform will assist in efficient movement of goods, reduction of logistics costs and time, and assist Just-In-Time inventory management. As India gears up and prepares for a stronger and resilient economy with considerable investments in the infrastructure and increased manufacturing, the logistics sector as a service provider will be the critical enabler."

'The 2022-23 budget has laid clear emphasis on prioritising economic growth with focus on capital spending to generate growth and employment. The announcement relating to MSMEs and thrust on digital banking will further go a long way in supporting the economy. The MSME sector has been one of the most impacted during the pandemic. Focusing on further supporting the MSME sector and reduce stress in this segment, the Government has widened the ECLGS scheme & revamped CGTMSE (Credit Guarantee Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises).The ECLGS will be extended up to March 2023 and its guarantee cover will be expanded by Rs 50,000 crore to total cover of Rs 5 lakh crore. The CGTMSE scheme will be revamped with required infusion of funds. This will facilitate additional credit of Rs 2 lakh crore for MSMEs and expand employment opportunities. We believe that the NBFC sector will also benefit from the allocation of Rs. 48,000 cr (under the PM Awas Yojana) for affordable housing unveiled by the honourable Finance Minister during the budget announcement. This move will accelerate the credit demand in the economy and positively affect the performance of NBFCs catering to the sector.'

The Budget 2022-23 is set in context of recovering economy with good macro stability. The Finance Minister takes forward growth impetus through enhanced outlays on public capex, incentives for digital, start-ups, supporting MSMEs, and targeted welfare spending in 2022-23. The cumulative Government support through ECLGS rising to Rs 5 trillion till March 2023 is welcome enabler for credit to vulnerable sectors of economy. Moreover, the absence of capital allocation for public sector banks reaffirms confidence in strength of banking sector in meeting the credit needs of economy. Overall, it is a growth oriented Budget.

This is a growth oriented, forward looking budget with focus on capital expenditure in the infrastructure sector, particularly in roads, railways and their associated logistics. Coming on the back of nascent economic growth, estimated to be around 9.2% in the current year, and in the midst of the third wave of the pandemic, the Union Budget provides for targeted policy prescriptions for enabling inclusive development, productivity enhancement and financing of investment mainly through PPP model. Keeping in view the prevailing financial strain, especially on small businesses, during the pandemic, the extension of ECLGS till March 2023, and expansion in the guarantee cover of CGTMSE, will indeed be a boon for MSMEs, which have been primary beneficiaries under the scheme. I am sure that the Budget announcements will go a long way in achieving the goal of "Atmanirbhar Bharat."

"FM's speech was the shortest of all her budget speeches and possibly with the maximum impact. Despite the temptation to go populist with so many state elections lined up - the FM stuck to the script without playing to the gallery. A key highlight of the budget is the enhanced thrust on capex rising to almost 2.9% of the GDP acknowledging the fact that the Private sector capex has still to kick in. The provision to tax gains on transfer of digital assets is a very pragmatic move and acknowledgment that digital assets are not going away - might as well embrace them. The intention to have a digital rupee is a far-sighted move whose positive impact will be felt over time. The thrust on new generation tools and technologies to take the country forward was pretty evident with various provisions to leverage digital technologies and drones, among others to digitize land records. The intention to allow Income-tax Payers to revise their IT returns for 2 years post the end of the relevant assessment year to account for understated income should go a long way in increased compliance and reduced litigation . Respect and Trust for the Tax Payer is clearly evident in this provision . Could the FM have done more by way of direct relief to the marginal taxpayer - possibly yes. Like the previous budget, the FM has been conservative on the tax receipts and very realistic on the overall fiscal deficit. The divestment target at 65000 crores should be easily achievable. From a capital market perspective a neutral budget. Like always the challenge is in execution. Let's hope the execution is at par with the intentions and thrust of an excellent budget."

"The Union Budget 2022 is a very progressive and inclusive budget. We welcome the new announcements, especially from the manufacturing sector. The budget puts great focus on labor welfare. The government has allotted a huge amount towards the digital training of the laborer's which is a great step forward. This means that the Karigars and artisans from various sectors will be hugely benefited and this would really bring in more skilled talents in the sector". "One class, one TV channel" program is a positive initiative announced which will provide education to those in need. It is the right step to provide supplementary education in all regional languages. This move will positively impact the literacy rate in India and improve overall wellbeing of the country"

The upcoming launch of an open platform for the National Digital Health Ecosystem is exciting news for us. It will include digital registries of health providers and facilities, a unique health identity, and universal access to health facilities, all of which will aid us in saving lives by allowing us access to contextual health information in quick time, enabling faster and better medical response in emergencies.

Budget 2022 has surely come as a booster dose for the healthcare sector. The new initiatives announced by the Finance Minister will help India recover from the damages to the healthcare infrastructure caused by the pandemic and strengthen it further. These initiatives, especially the open platform for the National Digital Health Ecosystem will also help strengthen the healthcare sector of the nation at the core. The past few years have revolutionised the way mental health is being viewed, I am sure that the National Tele Mental Health program will receive a very warm welcome.The Tax breaks for setting up hospitals in tier 2 and tier 3 cities is highly appreciated, this break will encourage the boom in quality healthcare providers in these cities, along with the proposal for the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan will help connect the tier 2 and tier 3 cities and will ensure that the healthcare services are accessible to all regions equally. The increase in the GDP proportion for healthcare was much needed and is rightly implemented. All these announcements made today have come as a ray of hope for the healthcare sector. I am sure that the country is moving towards a stronger, more accessible and quality healthcare infrastructure.

"The Union Budget 2022 presented by our Honourable Finance Minister, Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, has projected an encouraging mega push to the start-up economy in India. In fact, some of the transformative policies such as the 100% tax rebate on the profit made for a period of three years can help us conducively tackle our working capital requirements and grow steadily. This will also largely expedite the start-up revolution in the country. The focus on 5g connectivity as a part of the 'Digital India' initiative will pose as a game changer to players like us and enable us to contribute more significantly to the economy while leading India to a healthier way of living. Moreover, it will help us change the face of fitness in the country and will allow us to make fitness more inclusive and infrastructure-agnostic. It will provide us the opportunity to mitigate any tech related inadequacies caused due to data speed and help us augment our product offerings by aiding comprehensive R&D in smaller pockets of the country. Additionally, we believe that the Union budget has taken into consideration the plight of the entrepreneur and is focussed on both relief and recovery. The extension of the tax incentives till 2023 and the impetus to digitalization will give us the financial freedom to focus on innovation and scale up operations. We are glad that the government is extremely enthusiastic about fuelling the aspirations of young entrepreneurial India as we believe that we have it in us to become the start-up superpower of the world."

"Admiration for the Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman for proposing a pro-growth budget against the backdrop of the Covid 19 issue, focusing on capital expenditure to drive economic growth and employment while fiscal prudence took a backseat. Stepping into the investment cycle, with a special focus on the start-up ecosystem, clean energy, electric vehicles, and infrastructure will drive GDP growth and create jobs, though pressure on the bond yields is imminent in the near future. Salary earners may be disappointed by the lack of change in direct taxes. Support for Fintech, an emphasis on payment platforms, and the RBI's launch of a digital currency are other major announcements in the budget."

Leading into the budget, there was a common view that for a broader sustainable growth - both the government and private sector - Capex needs to be stepped up. In this context, Finance Minister has been very bold and has unveiled a Go for Growth budget on the backdrop of the PM Gati Shakti transformative approach. There has been a slew of measures announced for each of the 7 engines viz railways, roads, airports, ports, mass transport and Logistics infrastructure. The FM announced a massive CAPEX Plan at 7.5 lakh crore which is a whopping 35% growth over last year clearly showing the intent to do the heavy lifting when it comes to leading investment-led growth and job creation. The large CAPEX, one hopes, will lead to downstream investments by the Private sector as well. This will put the country on a 9% growth trajectory for the next few years coming on the back drop of a 9.2% growth estimated for FY 22. While there are concerns around inflationary risks due to the high commodity prices leading to fuel and food inflation, the government is betting on growth. The fiscal deficit of 6.9% for FY 22 and target of 6.5% for Fy 23 may seem very high but given the context of the global issues post pandemic the markets feel this may be required to spur growth. The intent to stay on the fiscal glide path announced last year gives some comfort. The good news is that the entire excess fiscal deficit is going towards Capex which will have a multiplier effect on the economy. The buoyant tax collection with GST reaching record level of 1.49L cr in March and the net direct tax collections from April to mid-December, which were above Rs 9.45 lakh crore compared to Rs 5.88 lakh crore over the corresponding period of the financial year, clearly show that the economy is recovering and tax compliance has been improving. This must be the reason why the FM has largely maintained status quo on tax rates and policies. Overall, there is widespread optimism that the FM has exceeded expectations on her growth stimulus, we need to watch out for the global geo political situation leading to higher imported inflation and rising interest rates, which could derail the bets on going for growth. The grand plans have been laid out. Let us hope the execution keeps pace as we chase 9% growth in a volatile and uncertain world since the pandemic started 2 years back.

"The Union Budget 2022-23 looks promising for the start-up ecosystem especially, with the extension of tax benefits for one more year and promoting ease of business. This is a welcome move as it will help in the industry's fast-paced growth. Also, focusing on an efficient logistic system will reduce logistics costs and time. Furthermore, another area of significance is enhancing the digital ecosystem for skilling and livelihood through online training programs. This step will allow more people to be upskilled and employable ready-however, a slight focus on offering concessions for companies committed to promoting eco-friendly products would have helped as by going green, we are saving natural resources and helping in reducing pollution."

"A serious growth budget, which will give a very strong impetus to economic growth, with Capex exceeding INR 10L crores, continuing high GST collections, escalated private sector participation in defense and railways, and a conservative divestment target of INR65k crores. All this while pegging the deficit at 6.4% and expected GDP growth at 9-10% for FY22 and FY23, augurs good times for India. Some favorable revisions on LTCG, and ITax for salaried class, would have given it the universal approval, but this does not take away from the overall soundness of the Budget. Execution and delivery is as important, so that the Capex short spend of FY22 does not repeat leading to lumpsum disbursal."

"Budget has factored in allocations for Space Tech very well. Entire budget for the Dept of Science and Tech has been increased thus the Department of Space gets a good chunk. This will push ISRO's Gaganyaan Project and spend funds on new infrastructure. at the same time, it will help private space companies to access high quality infrastructure."

"This is a growth-oriented Budget, I am sure that stepping up the capital expenditure sharply by 35.4% will have an incremental effect on the overall growth of the economy. It is good that the policy makers understand that nearly half of our population is likely to be living in urban areas by 2047, when India is at 100. The announcement for urban capacity building like mass transit, planning help, etc. would act as a good principle for development of the country. The budget has demonstrated a good balance between today's needs and the future's demand."

"I believe the 2022 budget is focused around smart digital expenditures in not just education, but across sectors! A very forward-looking budget in my opinion that will enable startups take lead in India's next phase of development. Introduction of the e-passport facility will decrease friction in the immigration process and I look forward to Indians getting access to such world-class tech. Lastly, steps like capping off long-term capital gains at 15% clearly position this as a document which heard and implemented feedback from all quarters, and that's amazing!"

"This year's budget has taken significant future-forward steps towards financial inclusion; the integration of post office banks, widening the scope of MSME portals and setting up digital banking are all incredible steps in extending access to finance. Moreover, the budget has also addressed the current pain-points of the MSME ecosystem by extending ECLGS, with the additional allocation to be earmarked for hospitality and related industries. This provides renewed impetus for the lending ecosystem to lend to MSMEs and empowers them. Steps taken to leverage portals like Udyam, e-shram, NCS & Aseem will go a long way in further strengthening credit facilitation and enhancing entrepreneurial opportunities for MSMEs In terms of startups, initiatives taken towards amping up the ease of doing business in India are welcome additions to the budget. Moreover, the steps taken for existing start ups like extending tax redemption and steps taken to attract more investment into the ecosystem is encouraging for the entrepreneurial spirit of India."

It's a big bang to a revolutionary journey in India; People seem to welcome this devastating move, as 30% tax slab laved to rumors about crypto ban; it gives a legitimacy boom in bigger Crypto sphere. Our Government is lightening up the path to a progressive stance. It leads to leverage job opportunity in IT and Blockchain industry. Such glance of government will take India to a top notch position in blockchain industry"

"The heightened expectations from the Budget 2022 have met with a matching delivery. The budget is more capital incentive - focusing more on the supply side and growth-oriented, with no adverse tax rollout. We are excited to see announcements under the 'Battery Swapping policy', supporting the cleantech in urban mobility space. PM Gatishakti plan of expanding national highways by 25,000 will act as a catalyst in seamless mobility, employment generation, and efficient connectivity across the nation. We welcome FM's announcement on cutting down of import duties on metals including steel and aluminum. The move will benefit the manufacturing sector to lower input cost and unburden the businesses from hiked steel prices."

A decline in the contribution of the agriculture sector to the GDP has been picked up by the service sector and not the manufacturing sector. It is an imbalance in the Indian Economy. Infrastructure has been the Achilles heel for the manufacturing sector. The present government is trying to develop the infrastructure to give a much-needed boost to the manufacturing sector. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her fourth budget talked about PM Gatishakti Master Plan which will be driven by seven engines of growth. Rs. 100 lakh crore project aims at developing holistic infrastructure resulting in inclusive development energy transmission, enhancement of productivity, and financing of investment. The master plan will provide the platform for National Infrastructure Pipeline. It will make Indian goods competitive due to an improved supply chain and reduction in logistic costs.

"This year's Union Budget was, by and large, focused on all-around inclusive development, which is heartening to note. I believe that the proposed policy in the Budget and financial support for agroforestry can prove to be very useful over the long term, particularly in the tribal areas of the nation. We will also look forward with great anticipation to the proposed funds' allocation to support Agri and rural microenterprises -- which form the backbone of our rural economy. Also, the continued support for the growth of Renewable Energy technologies in the country is very encouraging and in line with India's ambitious Climate Action goals. However, we would have liked to see some more ground-level policy initiatives to encourage and incentivize rural livelihoods in the Budget, which did not happen and hence remains as a missed opportunity."

"The Budget 2022 has rightly initiated a significant focus towards the rural economy and rural development. With the introduction of Kisan drones, seems to usher a wave of technology in the agri-tech sector. In another interesting development, funds with combined capital were also announced under NABARD. We welcome the Government's low carbon development strategy which would help unlock more job opportunities. We are also happy to see the allocation of Rs 19,500 crore for the PLI scheme to manufacture high-efficiency solar modules. Tax deduction for cooperative societies up to 15% is another welcome move. However, I'm albeit disappointed to see that no major specific announcements were made for greening the dairy farming value chain."

"We are happy to see the Government's continued focus on Climate Action and Renewable Energy Transition, as these have been prioritised in this year's Budget. We also welcome the additional Budget allocation under PLI for the solar manufacturing sector. This is a positive step by the Government in the right direction, not only in terms of furthering 'Make in India' but also towards enabling a cleaner and greener economy in the upcoming decade."

The Budget 2022 has rightly introduced Kisan drones that seem to create an usher flow of technology in the agri-tech sector. In another interesting development, a fund with combined capital was also announced under NABARD. We are also happy to see the announcement of Chemical-free natural farming which will help for exports as well as health across our country.

We are happy to note that the FM has announced crypto tax provisions in this budget, legitimising crypto transactions in some way. However, it is disappointing to see that the Government has decided that the income from the transfer of digital assets will be taxed at 30 per cent -- which seems to be too high, given that the NFTs, cryptocurrencies and digital assets space is already booming and has immense potential for the economy in the near future. I am hopeful and certain that once the full potential of crypto is realised it will be lowered further.

" The Union Budget of 2022 announced by the government today is a welcome Pranav Bajaj - Co-Founder - Medulance as it has drafted many things to boost investments in the country and the startup ecosystem overall. The eligibility of tax exemption claiming tax holidays for startups would be exempted till March 31st, 2023. We welcome this new move focusing on the MSME sector which would further boost the lower end of the spectrum. The new move can also lead to an increase in the demand for diesel door delivery startups. This would encourage budding micro entreprenuers to come up in this segment. This had begun last year by introducing Fuelent, this would only further expedite it." "The government aims to create 60 lakh jobs in the MSME sector by the 2023. This is where industry like ours can play a pivotal role in creating employment. We can pass similar benefits to our Fuelent and build a ecosystem around it". "Incentivising OPC Setup: In order to benefit startups in setting up one person companies (OPCs), Finance Minister Sitharaman announced OPCs to grow without any restrictions on paid-up capital and turnover. The Minister also allowed their conversion into any other type of company at any time and reduced the residency limit for an Indian citizen to set up an OPC from 182 days to 120 days and also allow NRIs to incorporate OPCs in India. We are hoping that with this the NRI are encouraged to invest in smaller set ups and if it happens it would be win win for both the parties."

"The best years of growth are just coming up. And to be ready for the future, there is an immediate need to digitize, build, and invest across agriculture, education, healthcare, mental health, infrastructure, and financing. Growth also needs to be climate-conscious, and new asset classes must be cautiously embraced. Another priority focus area for unlocking new avenues of growth is the ease of doing business. Overall, if all that is planned is executed well, income tax benefits will not be missed. We are rightly focusing on growth vs. fiscal consolidation in this third year of the pandemic. However, there are underleveraged levers for bringing in growth capital. For instance, in 2021, 5.5 lakh crore was raised as venture/PE capital by Indian companies, which is about 30% of the fiscal deficit. In this light, policies around capital gains, TDS exemptions on early revenue streams can help accelerate practical applications of new-age technology by unblocking startups and investors."

"As per today's budget announcement by the FM, there will be creation of 60 Lac new jobs. Using a capital investment approach to do so and not making much alterations would work considering how well the corporate sector is doing. Taking in account the last 2 years of pandemic which has been difficult for all, there wasn't much for the salaried class/middle class. However, if I must say so, the goal is to improve things through infrastructure investment and by not putting money directly in the hands of the consumers. Introducing Desh Stack e-portal should be a help in creating and stimulating the environment for skill development. In the last year's budget NAPS was the fourth pillar and now, announcing Desh Stack is a step in the right direction."

In the backdrop of dropping Coronavirus cases, Ms Nirmala Sitharaman presented an enabling, positive and futuristic Union Budget 2022-23. The real estate sector has faced severe headwinds in the recent past but is hopeful of a solid recovery with several key budget announcements. With a focus on the construction of over 80 lakh affordable houses by the year 2023, focus on urban development via the concept of mega cities and enhanced focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cites will provide the much-needed impetus to the real estate sector. As steel is the backbone of the construction sector, the budget announcements have extended the budget scrap duty by another year. It is in addition to the scrapping of the anti-dumping duty on stainless steel. Reduction in corporate tax for co-operative societies from 18 percent at present to 15 percent will reduce burden on the ancillary support industries related to construction and real estate sector. Overall, this is a progressive, supportive, and budget with increased focus on infrastructure development.

"The formulation of battery swapping standards and interoperability is a much-needed step in the right direction. There's been a lot of confusion in the swapping companies, which has dampened EV adoption. Seamless and widespread charging infrastructure is the need of the hour to accelerate the EV revolution in the country. The focus and thought towards the EV sector by the honorable finance minister reflects the government's poise towards accelerating EV adoption. This will also help us achieve our vision of expanding our battery-swapping network across 100 cities in the next three years I would have loved if GST in battery and spare parts had also been reduced to 5% like it's there for E-vehicles purchases; this would also help the entire electric vehicle ecosystem."

In the backdrop of dropping Coronavirus cases, Ms Nirmala Sitharaman presented an enabling, positive and futuristic Union Budget 2022-23. The real estate sector has faced severe headwinds in the recent past but is hopeful of a solid recovery with several key budget announcements. With a focus on the construction of over 80 lakh affordable houses by the year 2023, focus on urban development via the concept of mega cities and enhanced focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cites will provide the much-needed impetus to the real estate sector. As steel is the backbone of the construction sector, the budget announcements have extended the budget scrap duty by another year. It is in addition to the scrapping of the anti-dumping duty on stainless steel. Reduction in corporate tax for co-operative societies from 18 percent at present to 15 percent will reduce burden on the ancillary support industries related to construction and real estate sector. Overall, this is a progressive, supportive, and budget with increased focus on infrastructure development.

"A short and sweet budget by the finance minister with no tweaks on taxes but a lot of measures to promote overall economic activity. The budgetary capex has been increased by 19% while at the same time providing impetus to EVs, solar power and renewable energy, agriculture, blending of fuels, startups, the introduction of digital currency, giving legitimacy to cryptocurrencies and green bonds all point towards the government sticking to the growth path." EV Sector "The EV sector received a boost with cities being encouraged to introduce zero-fossil fuel policies and urban residents encouraged to increase ridership on public transport and use of electric mobility. The private sector has been encouraged to build business models for battery-as-a-service. To encourage use of EVs, battery swapping and charging infrastructure will be scaled up and interoperability standards formulated. The steps will go a long way in promoting EV sales in the country." National Highways "Road construction given a boost by increasing the target to 25,000 kms of National Highways construction. Comparing this to the current construction of around 13,000 kms the target is almost double than the current level. Also, bringing all key transport ministries under the Gati Shakti plan is a positive step for the logistics sector."

"Legalising cryptocurrencies the finance minister has imposed a 30% tax on cryptocurrencies and NFTs brings it at par with those charged on speculative income. Thought on higher side, traders can now trade in these assets without fear of government intervention. The Budget has removed the legal uncertainty on Crypto Currency trading. People can trade in Crypto but they will have to pay tax. It is to be checked in fine prints, that if corporates trade in crypto then, the corporate tax is applicable or 30% or whichever is higher."

The upcoming launch of an open platform for the National Digital Health Ecosystem is exciting news for us. It will include digital registries of health providers and facilities, a unique health identity, and universal access to health facilities, all of which will aid us in saving lives by allowing us access to contextual health information in quick time, enabling faster and better medical response in emergencies

The inception of dedicated institutes for urban planning in real estate sector will help to maximize the urban development as well as minimize the complexities in urban planning. The budget is a great initiative to make housing affordable for a large section of the country. With announcement of Union Budget 2022 by honourable Finance Minister, the budget has focussed more on the Made in India initiative to minimize the dependency. To encourage the start-up ecosystem government has relaxed the tax and introduced flexible policies to help start-ups in the country. With an expected growth of 9.27% percent the budget has given enough flexibility for start ups which will help to create new job prospects. The use of drones for startups will push the start ups for excellence. The promotion of fintech and technology based development will help the economy gain a pace as well as create a better job prospects for individuals. Infra spends in PPP mode seem to be the thrust of the Union Budget 2022. Start-ups in agriculture sector encouraged with commitment to provide support for FPOs, technology including IT based support. ECLGS extended up to March 2023 to aid MSME sector financing needs. The support for agriculture start up in the union budget will make FPO's stronger as well as strengthen the IT support

First of all, we must take into consideration cryptocurrencies being added by the government into taxable assets which indirectly gives crypto a legible stand in the market. The introduction of a digital rupee with the blockchain is an excellent move also. The 30% tax on digital asset transfer is a bargain however no dedction is projected on the computing while loss cannot be set off on other income. Also, the TDS introduction of 1 per cent is to be seen on transfers. All in all, a great step to make digital currency a well-established form of payment and to strengthen the technology based on it.

India's Union Budget 2022-23 has brought forth a host of benefits across industries. For real estate, a reduction in corporate surcharge from 12% to 7% is a good news for the developer community. The issuance of digital rupee by RBI using blockchain technology will render more transparency to real estate transactions. Affordable housing has also got a boost with Rs 48,000 crore allocated for completion of construction of 80 lakh houses under PM Awas Yojana. Rs 60,000 crore have been additionally allocated for the Har Ghar Nal program. Last but not the least, additional allocation of Rs 19,500 crore for manufacturing solar modules augurs well for real estate.

The Union Budget has once again demonstrated the government's strong commitment towards systematic urban growth with a focus on clean tech, sustainable urban living, and better governance. GOI will build the right balance between large mega cities as well as tier- 2 & 3 cities, which is a welcome move. The development agenda will also focus on creating mass transit systems and encouraging EVs which will help in reducing overall carbon footprint and give a better living experience to our city dwellers. Meanwhile, we will also like to thank the government to start 5 new urban development institutes in India, as it can herald a new beginning in urban development.

We have deeply realized the benefit of the latest provisions for the taxpayer community. One better scheme is for the tax deduction limit which is now hiked to 14% on the employer's contribution to the NPS account of the state government employees. And the updated return filing provision is much better than the previous with the time bracket of 2 years at maximum to the end of the assessment year. To add a delight, the tax benefits to the startups have been offered redemption of taxes to the 3 consecutive years is now extended to one more year.

"Road construction given a boost by increasing the target to 25,000 kms of National Highways construction. Comparing this to the current construction of around 13,000 kms the target is almost double than the current level. Also, bringing all key transport ministries under the Gati Shakti plan is a positive step for the logistics sector."

Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for achieving the prime goal of 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat' has received excellent response from the domestic MSMEs, who were looking for the support from the government in the tough times. The government believes that these sectors, with the help of the given scheme, have a potential to create more than 60 lakh new jobs and additional production of Rs 30 lakh crore during next five years, supporting the Indian Economy. To aid the ailing sector, the honorable finance minister has announced an Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) extended up to March 2023 in the Budget. This scheme guarantees cover extended by Rs 50,000 crore and now total up to Rs 5 lakh crore. MSMEs such as Udyam, e-shram, NCS & Aseem portals will be inter-linked, their scope will be widened

With Union Budget 2022-23, a lot of expectations have been met. Healthcare and infrastructure were the main highlights of the budget 2022 and immense investment has been allocated for the expansion of roadways and logistics networks. Just like it was expected, the youth and startups were given keen importance in the budget as well. The ECLGS credit scheme guarantee cover has been expanded by Rs 50,000 crore, which will provide collateral-free loans to stressed-out MSMEs. The budget also announced "one station one product" programme will facilitate local supply chains, this will be a huge improvement impact on small farmers and MSMEs. The budget also revealed about 100 PM Shakti Cargo terminals, which will develop in the next three years. Overall, this year's budget will bring positive change for the MSMEs and other small industries.

"The policies should take a holistic approach to ensure that there is a proper and adequate supply network of swappable packs and swap stations so that it works as if someone is fuelling their vehicle and is able to "swap" in 2-3 minutes. Ground charging does not really work except at home (not for commercial purposes) because of the load it will exert on the grid and the time it takes. Convenience especially for the last mile operators, gig economy players and home tests/collections is key. Second, there is a proliferation of low quality Chinese players who are "cheap". There are substantial safety and dependency issues being built into the system. If the policy can build in a structure to raise the safety and "atmanirbhar" aspects and the made in india aspects - that will be a boon for india in the long run. There are many Indian manufacturers of safe batteries and swap stations who would then not have to choose to lower quality and safety standards."

The extension of ECLGS scheme is a welcome move for MSMEs. The credit and fiscal support of 5 lakh crores will give a huge boost to this sector encouraging new businesses to come to the fore. This announcement will certainly generate more than 10 lac of employment opportunities in a short span of time. However, a slight focus on easing the trade and the taxation policies for MSMEs facilitating more freedom to do business was also expected from this year's budget announcement.

The budget session has taken some prudent initiatives for MSMEs and India INC. for start-ups the tax concession period has been extended by one more year, which in my opinion is a very positive move. Likewise, a 15% tax has been decided for the newly incorporated manufacturing unit. The period of incorporation has been increased by one more year to 31-3-2024. This will further boost manufacturing activities.

"The last two years have reshaped the course of the fitness industry in India. Today, digital platforms have emerged as one of the most conducive channels for the fitness ecosystem as they offer connectivity and affordable experiences to users. The pandemic has also acted as a catalyst for scores of fitness startups who were looking to democratise offerings and bridge market gaps with regard to price points, flexibility and convenience. *This has led to easy access to fitness information for the audiences. They are able to pick and choose their flavour for fitness after understanding what works and doesn't work for them.* And while the government continues to stage pointed efforts to propel the startup revolution in India, we believe that friendly policies and automation of taxation will allow us time to focus on innovation and scale-up operations. The extension of the tax holiday for startups last year was a welcome move to boost investment in 'businesses of tomorrow' allowing us capital mobility to manage operations. Additionally, lowering tax slabs will help boost encouraging investor sentiments and will contribute to the overall start-up boom. It will also allow existing players to access increased capital flow, underscoring the emphasis on increased R&D. Furthermore, simplification of GST compliance and easy accessibility to resources and funds will also help young entrepreneurs from getting bogged down by the exhaustive administrative rigmarole. Additionally, focusing on building digital infrastructures will allow us to widen our penetration into smaller markets, leading to a sort of unification of India and Bharat i.e. tier 2 and tier 3 market areas. We also believe that relaxing regulatory restrictions for startups and obliteration of fine prints will give nascent organisations the freedom to surge ahead and generate more employment. I personally would like to see efforts put into the preventive implementation of these practices rather than reactionary firewalls because India has the potential to become a startup superpower in the world and the government must do everything in its power to support it."

"As the annual budget announcement is nearing, entrepreneurs across sectors anxiously wait and hope for relief. Due to the pandemic, most consumer brands faced a difficult situation but witnessed growth in the second half of 2021. However, observing the present situation, we are back to survival mode. The MSME sector is a critical financial backbone of the country which contributes immensely to India's economic growth. However, with the changing landscape of businesses, the rising costs for packaging material, labour and logistics have widely affected the industry. Similarly, omnichannel retailing and last-mile deliveries are becoming a huge concern in the retail sector. Hence, the government should consider these issues and implement a concrete strategy in developing supply and delivery. Also, the government should focus on the digital infrastructure across the country by improving connectivity in rural areas, which will help drive growth and companies, so they can expand their distribution footprint across India. In support of the 'Make In India' initiative of the Government of India, we expect more growth to be given in aid to generate employment. Also, there should be some relaxation to avail lower corporate tax rate."

While we were going through a once in a century pandemic, last year there was a reduction in the annual allocated spending on education by 6%. This was divided as Rs 54,873 crore for school education and literacy and Rs 38,350 crore for the higher education sector. Something the numbers won't show is the quality of education that has been provided, at both school and higher education institutions. Nor does it make provisions for skilling our unemployed young workforce which will help them be more competitive in the private job market.

Here are some expectations from the budget this year:

1. At least 8-9% of GDP should be put aside for education. More allocation isn't only necessary at Primary, Secondary and Higher education but, we need to also look at schemes for skilling our youth that are outside of the education system and make them eligible for employment opportunities currently there.

2. Making "Digital" Accessible: There is a growing need for us to address the elephant in the room. Online learning is not possible if you don't have access to high speed internet connection. We are not talking about 20mps connections. But without a 2mbps connection with unlimited data, it is not possible to do online classes. Add to the fact that our teaching methods have not evolved to suit the digital medium. I don't think that writing on a black board on a small mobile screen is the best way for our young minds to learn. We need to enable them with the internet and develop resources for teachers to take classes on the phone efficiently.

3. Skilling Focus in Education: Our education system is too focused on examinations and marks. We are really not looking at skilling. All over the world we are seeing governments moving to outcome based learning as the future of education. Private universities are now working with the govt. in the US to move to an ISA(Income Share Agreement) model as an alternative to education loans. This is something we need to focus on too when it comes to promoting Skilling in India.

4. Holistic Development in K-12 Level: Over the last 2 years, school dropouts have increased. More Indian kids are not completing their class 12th. In the budget, we should see some interventions to keep students in school to complete their Class 12th. Govt. Schools should also move towards holistic development. Communication & interpersonal skills, cognitive abilities, logical thinking need to come to the forefront. Wherever we are seeing this implemented, like in some states in India, we are seeing those students perform better.

5. Tighter Control on EduTech: This is something that needs to come out in policy of the government and not just in the budget, but right now we are seeing predatory practices in the education tech space in india. The insight they are exploiting is simple; Indians spend unconditionally on healthcare and education. More and more customers are going in with big bucks to take certifications which have little or no value in the marketplace. We are seeing courses being turned into trends, with people buying courses out of FOMO. This needs to be flagged and addressed.

"The union budget will create a great benefit for the startup ecosystem as the government will focus on investment-driven growth that will push companies of all sizes both in the public as well as the private sector. It would also raise additional resources through strategic investments, divestments and asset monetization. The government should help in assisting startups through policies and support mechanisms towards domestic capital participation. Along with providing incentives to set up incubators, tax exemptions in FDIs and relaxing taxes for startups. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi announcing National Startups Day this year, brings in an added advantage and benefit for the ecosystem and shows the rise and importance of startups in the country"

"With the government making progress on several fronts, we anticipate a policy framework in the budget that allows FinTechs to work closely with relevant government institutions to improve the distribution and adoption of existing gold monetization schemes, as well as launch new products like the gold savings account. All compliances, including incorporation, GST, other taxes, EPFO, and other registrations, should be handled through a single window in India. To stimulate entrepreneurship in India, the government should also allow entrepreneurs to carry forward their loss of income to offset against future income. Furthermore, reduced capital gains on mergers and acquisitions will help the sector grow."

"India has one of the highest youth population in the world, with an estimated high of 500 million. Being a significant resource of financial prosperity and social development, this population, if given a chance, can support the country's socio-economic growth in an unprecedented way. The need for youth empowerment is directly connected to a better tomorrow as it uplifts their standard of living. Therefore, the key focus of the Government from the 2022-23 budget should be around supporting the youth of India by offering them phenomenal opportunities for education, skilling and employability. In line with this, Generation envisions to work closely with the Government for bringing changes in the systems to effectively improve outcomes like employment and retention across India."

"In terms of the Union Budget 2022, we have clear-cut, substantial expectations from the government as one of the worst-hit sectors by COVID-19. Given that the sector has taken a heavy blow, some relief measures like travel and tourism to be treated at par with the IT sectors would help quickly revive business and propel the industry towards growth and progress. Though Budget 2021 brought enhancements for public transport infrastructure, we are particularly looking for a proposal that talks specifically about the Indian travel and tourism industry's short-term and long-term revival."

"We expect this budget to be budget for masses, one of the main reasons being the upcoming elections in 5 very important states. Our expectation is that it will be a "comforting budget" for all segments right from Salaried Individuals to Small and Medium businessmen to farmers, craftsmen etc. We expect a lot of schemes & incentives to be rolled out promoting and encouraging entrepreneurship. For individuals tax payers, Increasing the Standard deductions, 80 C limits and rationalisation of tax slabs are long waiting demands and we believe the said could get addressed in this budget to some extent. We don't see a major policy shift this budget, as the agenda of this budget should be to please all by keeping a balance on growth and comfort. On Long Term Capital Gain on equity front we don't see that the same will be taken back (though we would love to see that reversed) , however it may happen that the threshold of Rs 1 lakhs can get increased . In case the rates of interest increase in near term the same may have a deterrent on Real estate sector, so we expect some announcements providing some relief for real estate sector. Manufacturing is one sector where we see that government can increase its focus as it leads to job creation, less dependency on Import and growth and growth of economy. Lastly , we expect that government can come up with various incentives/ schemes aiming towards Revival of Tourism in India as the same is going to have a very deep impact on the growth specially in Category 2 cities where tourism is or can become a promising sector."

"In response to the economic hardship created by COVID-19, several liquidity measures to support the MSMEs were announced. However while the headline schemes were attractive the fine print made it very difficult for the new age fintech NBFCs to take advantage of the schemes. Due to such constraints the expected benefits of these support schemes did not reach/ transmit to the bottom of the pyramid MSMEs mostly catered to by fintechs/ small NBFCs.? This budget must be in pursuit of better implementation of the schemes already in place. Further, the fiscal budget should announce measures to incentivize and strengthen support from SIDBI-like institutions and PSB's towards lending to smaller NBFCs to ensure credit to SMEs at lower cost of capital."

Indian startups have played a vital role in the growth of the economy. While the pandemic forced us into a reset, technology brought about an accelerated transformation in almost all the sectors. The tech job market has taken the front seat in driving economic growth as well as employment in the country. At Newton School, we have witnessed the rapid increase in the demand for talent in tech. As India is set to be a $1 trillion digital economy by 2025, we are proud to see Newton School students actively contributing to the growth of the country's economy with cumulative packages of more than Rs. 70 crores.

Currently, the period of holding for unlisted shares is defined as 24 months, while for listed securities it is 12 months. From the upcoming budget 2022-23, my first expectation would be to change the definition of short-term capital gain for unlisted shares, making it at par with listed shares. Secondly, I am hoping for an easing of compliances with regard to small and mid-size Indian software companies operating in the US. Lastly, hoping for ESOP tax for startup employees to be reconsidered.

We are hopeful that the Union Budget 2022-23 will focus on making education inclusive to all. Ed-tech has been the biggest disruptor in the decade however, ed-tech startups continue to pay GST at 18%. Reducing the GST rates will mean ease of access to quality learning to students that will form our future workforce. Tuition fees, for long, have been eligible for tax deduction. With learning and upskilling being the need of the hour, there needs to be individual tax benefits provided to online learners. The framework for NEP is already laid and we are hopeful this budget will address the 10 year roadmap for policy implementation. We also expect the government will work with ed-tech companies as collaborative partners and create learning solutions for Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

"We all know by 2030 India will have the largest pool of Workable Population globally, even surpassing China. To realize the Government Dream of Atmanirbhar Bharat, we need to ensure that these youths are truly Employable. So we expect in Budget 2022-23, the Government to recognize and encourage startups to not only focus on skill development but also to ensure the Job is 100% Guaranteed. We would also like the Government to firstly recognize Skill-to-Job as a separate Category and encourage Start-up with some Schemes or Tax Rebates. And also with some Scheme or Tax Rebates to encourage Companies to employ such Fresh Grads. Such Schemes are popularly used by the Singapore government to make their Fresh Grads employable. This will help India to have the largest Employable and Workable Pool in the World to realize Atmanirbhar Bharat."

"With the Union Budget 2022, we are hoping the government will reduce the taxes on the industry by implementing an equitable model, giving more priority to the education sector, and making digital education accessible to students across the country. There is a huge surge in the number of students opting for E-learning courses, especially in tier II cities, the challenge arises in creating a stable digital infrastructure for such cities. With emerging technologies and market trends, upskilling is the need of the hour and we hope that the budget focuses on the upskilling sector as well."

"Agritech companies have proved their mettle and reliability since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Budget 2022 should foster the further development of these organizations by introducing growth-oriented policies, facilitating a more robust physical infrastructure network. In addition, the provision of tax breaks will enhance the affordability and ease of access to such services.t would also be good for the government to set up a dedicated agritech promotion fund to enable more innovation in the sector. The fund, regulated by a team of technology, agriculture and agritech experts, can also provide a clear roadmap to promote the outreach of agriculture digitization and technical training in the most remote sections of our country. Such a framework is essential if we truly want to harness the power of technology for the sector's development."

"The Covid-19 pandemic has left a major imprint on every industry, and everyone expects the Union Budget 2022 to get the economy back on track. Since startups are the backbone of job creation, they should be given lucrative incentives and tax relaxation. We also expect the Union Budget 2022 to provide some sops for domestic investors who invest in domestic startups. At the moment, a lot of the major investors are based overseas, but recent rules with respect to constraints and compliances of Indian companies listing in foreign exchanges have made the foreign investors vary. While I am of the opinion that domestic companies should grow and list in an Indian exchange first, that route will become smooth only if there are some additional benefits to domestic institutional investors. Make in India should be fueled by Invest by India too."

"We expect the Union Budget 2022 to re-look at the taxation regime for ESOPs and MSOPs that will enable startups to attract and retain talent to foster growth. The upcoming budget should lay out a comprehensive taxation regime for Crypto and NFTs which will eliminate ambiguities and provide certainty to the participants to encourage more investments & innovations on blockchain in India. M&A deals often require consideration to be commercially structured as contingent or and non-monetary, the current tax regime triggers an upfront capital gain on the same which makes transactions difficult to implement. Our Finance Minister should introduce provisions that allow a tax deferral on such M&A deal structures. Union Budget 2022 should also introduce a framework to permit crowd-sourcing and also provide tax incentives or concessional rates for investors to invest in Indian startups."

"As part of Covid-19 recovery plan, the government introduced the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) to address job losses and boost formal employment. The Staffing Industry is the largest sector to provide formal employment, thus with the Union Budget 2022, Government should recognise employment generation as "merit services", under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act and should reduce its Tax Slab. In addition, there has also been a significant increase in Work from Home which has led to increase in expenses to set up a home working space for which the upcoming budget should provide a tax break." "During 2015 to 2019, the Ministry organized nine tripartite discussions in which all the Central Trade Unions, Employers' Associations and representatives of State Governments were invited to give their opinions/suggestions on labour reforms. Thus the much-anticipated new Labour Code is supposed to boost business continuity and job creation across industries, specifically the manufacturing sector, MSME & Start-ups. However, in a labour surplus country like India, the contractual relationships also have profound effects on worker interests and we expect the Union Budget to introduce a proper implementation strategy with timelines. We further expect the Budget to also roll out the social security & wage code to all fifty crore unorganized workforce"

"India has the lowest public healthcare expenditure in the world. The health expenditure has only been between 1.2 to 1.8% of the GDP all these years as compared to the world average of 6%. Covid-19 has put the spotlight on this hitherto neglected sector. The second wave brought about a collapse of the healthcare sector in many parts of the country. The Omicron wave has shown us that the virus is constantly evolving and can still overwhelm the healthcare system. Hence, our expectation from this year's budget would be to allocate more funds to healthcare in order to strengthen primary, secondary as well as tertiary healthcare, public health delivery, and research. Notwithstanding the pandemic, the government allocated only 1.8% of the GDP to health in last year's budget. The National Health Policy 2017 had recommended this be increased to 2.5 to 3% of the GDP. Given the Covid-19 situation, the allocation should be up to 5% of the GDP in this year's budget. There should also be increased budgetary allocation to the pharmaceuticals industry to remove its current dependence on China and other countries for imports of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients. Lakh crores of investment are required and not the current amount of hundred crores. Covid-19 has also highlighted the role of nutraceuticals- particularly immunity boosters- as the first line of defence against the disease. Vitamin D, fish oil, multivitamins, and zinc supplements have been prescribed by doctors to Covid patients and survivors. The government should give a further fillip to this industry in this year's budget to make India 'Atmanirbhar' in the manufacturing of nutritional supplements and also an exporter to the world. Moreover, only 70% of India's population takes less than half the daily recommended dietary allowance of micronutrients. To address the prevalent anaemia and micronutrient deficiency in the country, the government should announce public-private partnerships with the nutraceutical industry to revolutionise the Indian health and wellness market."

"Health care sector continues to face the new challenges presented by the ongoing pandemic, which continues to dominate the attention and resources from all stakeholders. Neglect of Rural Population, Inadequate Outlay for Health, Social Inequality, Shortage of Medical Personnel, Lack of Medical Research, Expensive Health Service, Health Insurance sector reforms., Lack of cheap finance for the healthcare delivery models are some of the major issues that have been ailing the Indian healthcare system. To address some of the gaps, a 137% increase in healthcare expenditure was announced in Budget 2021. India spent around 1.8% of its GDP on healthcare. Increasing the healthcare expenditure above 2.5% of GDP and further going up to 4%, is one of the primary expectations from the Union Budget 2022. Widening the coverage and regulating the private insurance sector will be important to address few of the issues. Making finance available at low interest rates for hospitals and diagnostic chains & making it one of the priority infrastructure in the sector is critical. GST and import duties need to be minimal on life saving drugs and devices. Investments in R&D & medical research need to be encouraged and positive steps are needed in this direction, with financial allocation for the same. This will help to boost the domestic healthcare sector. International companies need to be encouraged to have R&D and manufacturing in India in collaboration with domestic players to enhance the capabilities of the local players and make state of art technology available to Indian patients."

"Apprentice levy: Our expectation from the budget is 2 fold - one is an apprentice levy on all organisations paying wage bills more than 15 crores. This levy should be charged at 0.5% - 1% of the wage bill. This levy can be used to build apprentice training programs which can help a massive number of students getting out of higher education to access these programs and get skilled. Employers will benefit from a great talent pipeline in this process. This model is very successful in the UK for many sectors. The second expectation is a reduction in GST. Currently, 18% GST on educational services is a burden on the consumers especially for technical and supplementary education. If we can build more affordability for customers it would be great. More than 50% of the total addressable market can't pay more than Rs 35,000 for a skilling course.This plus GST of 18% discourages many consumers to opt for learning and relearning. I would urge the government to reduce the GST from 18% to 5% on all educational services. This would encourage skill learning and create more skilled professionals which is the need of the hour Better financing models: The government should move towards having better financing models and direct the banks to introduce new products apart from traditional educational loans. I would expect that a national institution or consortium should take this ahead as financing is a core need to increase skilling training adoption. This will generate more skilled professionals leading to a better economy. Although NBFCs and new age institutions are trying to innovate and introduce new products, the coverage is still not optimal. Real Time SME Job Portal: We would also want a SME job portal being run in a Public Private partnership model. This portal should give real time visibility into jobs available with SMEs and skills required for the same. It is similar to airline inventory available in global distribution systems and there is full knowledge on inventory. In this case inventory means jobs available across SMEs. We need a central system to understand the real time job availability across SMEs. Remove university degree requirement for Jobs: We would need basic entry level jobs at Rs 3 lacs to Rs 5 lacs without a university degree as it is an unnecessary burden on many people to complete higher education to get into jobs. the NEP spoke about multiple entries and exits, but this can be done if at a central government level a rule or legislation can be bought out and in fact incentivize employers to hire skilled youngsters who needn't go through a higher education system to find entry level jobs in digital, finance, management skills domain."

"As we enter the third year of the pandemic, we have learned a great deal about the COVID19 disease and the virus. However, one thing that we still haven't learned is that indefinite school closures, especially without any plans of an alternate form of education for vulnerable children, is not an option. Indian schools for primary children have been closed for more than 600 days! There are multiple reports which peg this to be around 3-4 years worth of learning loss for children. Some studies, like the one by the Asian Development Bank, have also shown how this is going to affect the future incomes of our children. While mindlessly opening up schools might not be the best idea, there are several steps the government must take. These include opening schools in batches while following COVID appropriate behaviour, setting up protocols for children in normal times and times when the wave is climbing, creating a community-focused approach by appointing community volunteers who can ensure learning continues while schools are shut or run at limited capacity. All of this will require budget and resources - resources to be mobilised at the community level, training teachers to follow COVID appropriate behaviour, equipping schools to follow safety protocols and making children and parents feel safe. The government has a golden chance to increase the Education budget and set aside a hefty chunk to focus on school re-openings. A part of this extra budget should also be used to run remediation programmes for children who have lost their learning levels and need to come up to speed with their grade levels. This means engaging on-profit organisations in providing offline and digital resources to both, the teachers and children. The waves will come and go before COVID can turn into an endemic. This does not mean that we should wait around and let our children suffer. Inaction today is going to result in massive inequalities tomorrow. Let us start by giving school education the priority (in terms of budget and resources) it deserves, especially at a crucial time like this."

"2022 marks potential for commendable growth and bigger-than-ever expansion with the right boost from the upcoming budget. On foresight, some remarkable reforms have to be made in enabling the three significant stakeholders that benefit from the three evolutionary stages of any product; suppliers of raw materials, manufacturers and the product sellers. When it comes to the textiles and apparel industry, they are the farmers, reelers and weavers, and the retailers. India should recognise its farmers of natural fibres as an integral part of the agricultural sector. The government can invest in scientific methods of preventing crop failure at the early disease level which will ultimately increase the overall yield. This could turn the country into a significant game-changer in the world's textile and apparel industry. The proposal for a GST hike for the textile industry has been deferred, which I believe is welcome news. Thousands of small businesses can be adversely affected if the hike is not devised, taking into account all the stakeholders. Small scale manufacturers must be acknowledged as engineers of their own merit. Government can extend credit facilities for them and provide means for new-age technology adoption. In the textiles and apparel sector, the reeling units and the small-scale weavers would hugely benefit from such progressive measures. Besides, enough allocations for R&D would also make way for greater production quality. At the seller level, tax burdens and rigid regulatory compliances should be remodelled, which can provide scope for growth and expansion. This will increase ease of doing business, and can largely contribute to the GDP. All in all, the future holds great promise for all of us; and I'm excited to see how the Finance Ministry enables these stakeholders from the textiles and apparel sector."

"Indian startups are the torchbearers for innovation in the country. With the introduction of new schemes and policies as well as changes in the tax structure, 2021 witnessed the proliferation of Tech startups. Indian startups also raised larger financing rounds compared to previous years. The pace of growth signals the immense potential of the domestic market. The upcoming budget must equate with the momentum at which these startups are progressing. We expect further developments to Make in India and Digital India initiatives in order to establish India as a deep-tech hub. As digital adoption and transformation accelerate, Budget 2022 needs to focus on building a strong IT and internet infrastructure as well. On the other hand, the MSMEs sector has been one of the most vulnerable sectors during the pandemic. The focal point while preparing Budget 2022 should be devising a robust growth map to revive the economy thumped by COVID-19. MSMEs are a key contributor to the country's GDP and employment. We expect Budget 2022 to provide reforms on reduction in GST and the eagerly-awaited tax relief for small businesses. With the right policy push and resources, the budget can be a real game-changer for the Indian technology and small business sectors. The government should also take steps to reduce the compliance burden in all aspects - taxes, loans, or audits for both sectors."

"The upcoming budget is going to be critical from the startups viewpoint. The third wave of pandemic might disrupt the business activities again, especially the manufacturing division, therefore, there would be a heavy reliance on the budget to give these startups much needed relief. The startups would be looking for ease and simplification in sector specific regulations and compliances to give them certainty and cost saving opportunities. Further, these startups would also be hoping for much needed impetus in form of tax exemptions and incentives along with resolution of issues relating to GST credits. Budget should give importance to the healthcare startups and may provide certain relief in the form of reduction of GST and investing in the R&D for this already stressed sector. Similarly, clearing the uncertainty in the pending crypto regulation would also support the startups operating in this sphere. Startups are the enabler of opportunities and transform a job seeker into a job provider. These startups are going to play a crucial role in India's digital growth while creating employment opportunities and the government must support the ecosystem and help them achieve success. The evolving business models must be taken into account while crafting policy decisions. For these startups, funding is one of the major issues. Simplifying funding routes and creating a business-friendly environment would help them attract foreign investors and increase India's ease of doing business and help them compete with global players. Government may also focus on bringing the startups into the global supply chain network and further invest in enhancing the domestic research and innovation capabilities."

"The fintech landscape is changing tremendously on account of some significant measures. The allotment of Rs 1,500 crore for a new fund in Budget 2021 has further accelerated growth by incentivising businesses to offer digital payments to assist fintech businesses in thriving in the ecosystem. Last year's budget was a testament to how the industry proved its worth during the COVID-19 crisis. However, there is still a long way to go with many more difficulties that must be addressed quickly and effectively. In recent years, digital lending start-ups have proven to be a huge asset to the country. The Union budget 2022 is all set to be announced soon. We eagerly anticipate increased spending on liquidity and guarantee programmes to help improve loan supply and make NBFCs more capital accessible. The NBFC sector is likely to grow more modestly this year and new capital is expected to be supplied to support this expansion. We look forward to working with a new era of NBFC/FinTechs beginning this year in which the government promotes more banks and larger NBFCs while also giving credit access to individuals who are yet not served by the banks."

"The pandemic has taught us the importance of having a health insurance plan. My wish list from the budget is to see the health insurance sector receiving further impetus through boosters like a lower GST rate and higher exemption limits by the hon'ble finance minister."