Pre-Budget blues

Today is the annual budget.. I always look forward to it as I try to understand finance and economics. Sis being almost-a-CA helps a lot!! The world of finance is very dynamic and complex. This year, I wonder what the budget is gonna be like. The morning of the budget is usually an anticipatory one,the newspaper stays longer than usual in one's hand :) I heard that tax exemptions on investments might go up to a lakh and a half. Thats good news.

What interest me most though is investment in agriculture and defence. I strongly believe that India is primarily an agricultural economy and that if we dont take care of food production,(includes irrigation,water conservation et al ) sooner or later, we will be importing onions,rice,wheat and exporting roses for Valntine's Day!!,or even exporting software in exchange for food..

At the same time, defence is the most important sector today for India.I'm never happy with allocation to defence sector;hope this year around,with the aero-show and other aviation effects looming at large,we get more money to boost up our defence infrastructure.

Talking of the railway budget,whats working behind ??? "Railway Budget 2007" is the eighth wonder of the world :) I have heard mixed opinions on this one.. Some people say Lalu writes the account books of the Indian Railways himself!! and some say(these are usually students of MBA who happened to listen to his lecture in IIM or got to hear of it!!) that he worked his way up.Well,am not qualified enough to comment, but if it is true that IR posted profits, am damn happy!!

It is however noteworthy to see that trains are getting better and better. Even the small town connection ones. The nicest invention on the last train I boarded two days ago is this :- The toilets have a 'flush'(not a tap!) attached right above the damn 'commode' hanging by a long pipe(that's been there before!),so it makes it lot easier :) :) (we all know the clumsiness of toilets in our trains, dont we ? ) oops!! am digressing,I will write another one on the nicieties and oddities of our trains, am sure will make interesting read...

anyways, one thing is sure about today's budget,it will be vote-bank friendly no matter what! What with INC losing out in many states, they better promise rosy pictures atleast((with invisible thorns)!