More criticism than praise for Union budget in Mangalore

March 16, 2012

Mangalore, March 16: The Union budget presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee earlier today has attracted more criticism than praise from people of the coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada.

Following are some responses of people who spoke to Coastaldigest.com:

Latha Kini, President, Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry:

Increase of service tax and central excise tax will hurt the common man. It will result in price rise of all goods and affect all sections of the society. Subsidies for the agriculture sector have been retained so the burden has now fallen on the common man and the traders. The real tax collectors will be in dire straits now as the profit margin is reduced. The trade dealer will get nothing.

There are some positives too. Reducing interest rates for women of self-help groups is a good move. The infrastructure outlay is good and it was needed, or else, a revival is difficult. The Finance Minister has stressed on power needs and exemption to coal etc is a positive move. It is needed, keeping the future in mind.

G Hanumanth Kamath, President, Nagarika Hitarakshana Samithi, DK:

It is a capitalistic budget. The middle class has not benefited from this budget. Reducing rates for grocery items should have been considered. The increase of service tax will affect the common man. Although they have reduced rates of petroleum products, they will soon bring about a rise in prices quoting increase in rates of crude oil etc.

B Ramanath Rai, MLA:

It is a balanced budget. Importance has been given to child welfare which is a good move.

Padmanabha Kottari, DK Dist President, BJP:

This budget has been severe on the poor and the middle class. Rates of Beedi and Gutka have been increased. It is the poor who buy these products. Also, gold prices have also been increased. There is no improvement at all.

Adv. Raghavendra Rao, President, DK BJP Yuva Morcha:

No importance has been given to small investors. The Union government has increased the level for Income Tax to Rs 2 lakh which was Rs. 1,50,000 before. This is again unfair on the middle class. They have reduced prices for salt and matchbox which was not necessary. Overall, it's a pro-rich budget.

M G Hegde, JDS leader:

Although it boasts of possessing economic experts such as Manmohan Singh and Pranab Mukherjee, the Congress government has failed to fulfill people's expectations in this year's budget. It is just a technical and statistical balancing act and nothing has been done for the middle class. Besides, by merely giving subsidies to farmers, their problems won't be solved. Measures have to be taken for overall village development and agriculture development. Prices for TV, refrigerator etc have also been increased, conveniently forgetting thatsuch electronic goods are widely used by middle class and lower middle class people.

Muneer Katipalla, State Vice President, and DK Dist President, DYFI:

This budget has given scope for the growth of PPP (Public Private Partnership) which will only take privatization forward. It will have its impact on health, educational and other sectors where common people and students will have to suffer. The subsidies retained for farmers are mere gimmiks and no serious measures have been taken to stop farmer suicides. Reducing interest for Provident Funds, will also work in the favour of MNCs which shows that this budget is pro-corporates.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

From malls to highways, Kannada signboards to be enforced in Dakshina Kannada

News Network

February 4,2026

Mangaluru: Urban local bodies and gram panchayats should make the use of Kannada on signboards mandatory while issuing trade licences to commercial establishments, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Darshan HV said. He also called for regular inspections to ensure compliance.

Presiding over the District Kannada Awareness Committee meeting at the deputy commissioner’s office, Darshan said the city corporation would be directed to ensure that shops operating in malls prominently display their names in Kannada. “All commercial establishments, including shops, companies, offices and hotels, must mandatorily display their names in Kannada on signboards,” he said.

The deputy commissioner added that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) would be instructed to include Kannada on signboards along national highways. Banks, he said, would be directed through committee meetings to provide application forms in Kannada.

“Even if English-medium schools and colleges impart education in English, their signboards must display the institution’s name in Kannada. Steps will also be taken to ensure that private buses display place names in Kannada,” Darshan said.

During the meeting, committee members raised concerns over the closure of Kannada-medium schools in rural areas due to a shortage of teachers and stressed the need for immediate corrective measures. They also pointed out that several industries employ workers from other states while overlooking local candidates.

Members further demanded that nationalised banks provide deposit and withdrawal slips in Kannada. It was brought to the deputy commissioner’s notice that the presence of staff without knowledge of Kannada in rural branches of nationalised banks is causing hardship to local customers.

Meanwhile, MP Srinath, president of the District Kannada Sahitya Parishat, urged the district administration to allot land for the construction of a district Kannada Bhavana in Mangaluru.

Comments