How is the forthcoming Union Budget going to affect us all this year? To gauge the mood of the articulate and educated, business channel CNBC commissioned global market research company Synovate to poll their views.

Between February 11 and February 15, 2006, Synovate polled the views of over 1,120 people in the age bracket of 25-60 years, through face-to-face and telephonic interaction, across Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kolkata, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Pune and Patna.to elicit their mood and expectations from the budget.

Most respondents felt the budget would not leave them exuberant and that it would favour industry at the cost of the 'people' and most of the respondents were reconciled to cost increases as a consequences of the budget, especially for cooking gas, petrol and diesel, though some expected cars to become a little cheaper. Exclusive to domain-b.

Conclusions:

• Iindustry-friendly Budget 2006 expected; common man's interests likely to be disregarded.
  
• The usual suspects: hike in the prices of cooking gas; petrol/ diesel – will be the mainstay this Budget, as well.
  
• Cars and telecom services likely to get cheaper.
  
• Common man willing to support development programmes.
  
• The common man trusts the PM-FM team.
  
• Tax cigarettes higher; don’t cut duties on foreign liquor – is the majority view..

What actually happens – India will have to wait and watch.

See: What India Inc expects from Budget 2006.

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