R Seshasayee
Ashok Leyland
It is a very responsible and mature Budget
Pawan Munjal
Hero Honda
There are three or four disappointments in the Budget. Things that could have been done, which has not been done include; labour reform which is a crying need today in India. He spoke of it yesterday but there was no mention of that today.
He talks of subsidies in the Budget but there was no mention of where they would actually get reduced or cut down; and that's little bit of disappointment. That's something he could have done while he was doing so many other things. I think, announcing FBT with minor modifications is still not a good idea.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
Biocon
I am most disappointed to see that the budget has not provided for incremental investment in Science & Technology. Research & Development is seen as the next big opportunity for India Inc. To establish India as a laboratory of the world, fiscal policies need to support the high investment needs and the long gestational timelines of this segment. Industry has been seeking fiscal support through a 5 year weighted tax deduction, lower duties on R&D consumables and Equipment - to be on par with other competing nations; and duty free import of enabling technologies to promote collaborative R&D.
Pawan Munjal
Hero Honda
One of the things we have been saying for sometime is that the Budget should become a non-event. It really should be a statement of account of the government, and I see us heading in that direction. Discussion that we had five years ago around the Budget and today are very different.