"What will common man get?" Sanjay Raut questions upcoming budget

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 1 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday voiced scepticism over the upcoming budget, questioning how it will benefit the common man and the middle class.
Speaking to ANI, Raut said, "The budget will be presented; what will the common man and the middle class get from it? Modi ji has prayed to Goddess Lakshmi that she shower blessings upon the poor. However, for 10 years, Lakshmi hasn't favored the poor in this country. Instead, Lakshmi has been favoring a few wealthy individuals, such as Gautam Adani and others. It's Modi ji's grace, not Lakshmi ji's. Giving free food to the poor isn't a sign of a good economy. The way the rupee has fallen isn't a sign of a healthy economy either."
Earlier today, Robert Vadra, businessman and husband of Congress MP from Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed scepticism about the Union Budget 2025, stating that he has "very little expectations" from the government.
Speaking to ANI, Vadra said, "We have very little expectations from the government. I would like Nirmala Sitharaman to be among the people, listen to people. And the biggest issue has been inflation for a long time and people are in so much trouble, there is unemployment. Kumbh is going on but the fares of trains, flights have also increased."
"The Union Budget should be in the interest of the people. I think it is not about BJP or Congress or any other party, everyone should be united and the budget should be in the interest of the country and the people," Vadra said.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her record 8th consecutive budget today at 11 am in the Lok Sabha. The budget speech will outline the government's fiscal policies, revenue and expenditure proposals, taxation reforms, and other significant announcements.
On Friday, the Economic Survey tabled in Parliament projected India's economy to grow between 6.3 per cent and 6.8 per cent in the next financial year 2025-26.
The survey tabled a day before the union budget, highlights that the country's economic fundamentals remain strong, supported by a stable external account, fiscal consolidation, and private consumption.
It noted that the government plans to strengthen long-term industrial growth by focusing on research and development (R&D), micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and capital goods. These measures aim to enhance productivity, innovation, and global competitiveness.
"The fundamentals of the domestic economy remain robust, with a strong external account, calibrated fiscal consolidation and stable private consumption. On the balance of these considerations, we expect that the growth in FY26 would be between 6.3 and 6.8 per cent," it said.
The survey noted that food inflation is expected to ease in Q4 FY25 due to the seasonal decline in vegetable prices and the arrival of the Kharif harvest. A good Rabi production is also expected to help keep food prices in check in the first half of FY26. However, adverse weather conditions and rising international agricultural prices pose risks to inflation. (ANI)