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Asim Dasgupta, Leader, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Former Finance Minister, West Bengal

The Budget should have had a social objective. The objective should not be only to increase the size of the economy or to reach the $5 trillion economy within few years. This total figure does not mean much to an average Indian person or any Indian youth who is struggling with unemployment and price rise. I am not happy about it.

There has been a reduction in the budget allotment with respect to important employment generation and employment guarantee schemes. Last year, the target outlay was `60184 crore. This year, it was expected to be increase but it was reduced to `60000 crore. There is also a reduction in the skill development fund which has been slashed from `604 crore to `550 crore. Towards the end of the Budget document, it has been mentioned that the Indian government now intends to increase the additional production excise duty and the cess on both petrol and diesel in the national level and plans to add `1 to their prices as part of this move. The budget is also heavily relying on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). But we must keep it in mind that movement of capital is presently uncertain in the international economy. There was need to target a remunerative price for the farmers but that is absent.

― as told BE

Palaniappan Chidambaram, Leader, Indian National Congress and Former Union Finance Minister

Has there ever been a Budget speech that does not disclose the total revenue, the total expenditure, the fiscal deficit, the revenue deficit, the additional revenue mobilisation or the financial concessions? Has there ever been a Budget speech that does not disclose the allocations to important programmes like MGNREGA, Mid-day Meal Scheme, healthcare schemes and to allocations to vulnerable sections like the SCs, STs, minorities and women? There is no reference to the direct taxes code. Extensive amendments are being made to the Income Tax Act which means they are persisting with the Income Tax Act and there is no indication that the direct tax code will be inactive soon. Last year, they lost revenue of about ` 1,60,000 crore which is not acknowledged in this Budget.

― excerpts from Union Budget 2019 press briefing by P. Chidambaram published in the INC website.

Amit Mitra, Leader, All India Trinamool Congress and Finance Minister, West Bengal

The Union Budget presented by the centre not only brings common people under stress as the spike in prices of essential commodities arising out of soaring prices of petroleum products will accentuate their woes. Besides, the way the centre has increased the gold price will only give rise to number of unscrupulous traders of gold, black-marketing and smuggling of the yellow metal in the country. The Budget is misleading. They have scrapped the schemes of the people. 

― as told media