— Prasad Malladi

Nidadavole

Looking ahead

• The FM deserves to be praised for his balanced, yet forward-looking, Budget. It will take some time to appreciate Pranab Mukherjee’s tightrope walk in the context of the global recession. The Budget is growth-oriented and still keeps its focus on the aam admi. It focuses on the growth momentum vis-à-vis sizable allocations to social, agricultural, infrastructural, education and health sectors. Hopefully, India’s economic activities — including employment generation — will get the stimulus they need.

— K.G. Menon

Pune

Hopes dashed

• In the great commotion caused by the presentation of the Union Budget every year, a side-story often overlooked is the relation between the Budget and MBA students. Just like the market, industry, academics and the media, the Union Budget captivates MBA students since their prospects for placement and well-paying jobs depend on it to quite an extent. With the global markets down, this year, more than in any other in recent memory, MBA students impatiently awaited the FM’s presentation. Unfortunately, they have little cause for celebration post-Budget.

— Shyam S. Rathore

Kolkata

Speedy killer

• Good liquor is slow poison; bad liquor can kill instantly. It’s ironic that hooch has claimed 16 lives in Ahmedabad, in a so-called dry state. Such cases prove time and again that prohibition as a policy is foolish. Prohibition only drives the liquor trade underground, and those consuming cheap, spurious country liquor are endangered. This is the plight of millions of poor across India but it makes news only when sufficient numbers die of it. In place of prohibition, what we need is a massive public awareness drive about the hazards of drinking.

— Vinod C. Dixit

Ahmedabad

What about Roddick?

• Roger Federer undoubtedly deserves every bit of applause for smashing Pete Sampras’s record. But what struck one more is how little space was devoted to Andy Roddick, who put up a very tough fight. He had made a terrific comeback. The Roddick playing Federer was unlike the one seen before.

— Rashmi Mavle

Pune