Strong focus on infrastructure, health

Milind Kothari, managing partner, head, Tax and Regulatory services, BDO India:

"True to the commitment, smart cities programme is progressing well and with continued budgetary support, these cities will greatly benefit from a new ecosystem of infrastructure leveraged on the thrust of using technology as the backbone. 

Modernisation of railway infrastructure, like smart cities,  has been a compelling need and the new commitment by the FM would firmly take the railway in this direction. "

"Large investment in focusing on improving the infrastructure with coverage of airports with the Airport Authority of India is commendable to improve the much needed connectivity for the development of number of towns to the mainstream economy."

Much of the proposals in the past for developing a thriving domestic defense manufacturing industry did not go beyond the idea stage. A renewed focus is much needed to create a new ecosystem to decrease nearly total dependency on imports in this critical sector.

"The announcement in the area of health care is clearly path-breaking for the sheer size, coverage and the amount committed per family. This ushers India firmly in the next generation of social security as India moves aggressively towards a progressive developing economy."