National Budget for whom?

 Finance has never been my strong point, especially when the words outlays, Excel sheets and Ebidta are used and those who are discussing these issues also use the word million very often. So, you see converting that into lakhs takes some time, before I can feel thrilled about any budget.

Our Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, whom I admire at various levels, did not sparkle this time. Quite often you listen to the budget speech only for the introduction, the various pauses and the simple majesty of discussing the finances of the nation. 

And invariably what sticks to your mind is whether the income tax on your miniscule salary has been decreased or not. Sometimes you might hear that the cost of the refrigerators, ACs, etc have increased or decreased. It is the latter this time. For an absolute common man on the road this is enough.

He/she is concerned about the increase in the bus ticket fare, cost of onions/tomatoes and whether he will get a job or not. The rest is mumbo jumbo for him. He is concerned more with the power tariff he has to pay for the use of grinding the idli batter. 

This is my favorite topic and my absolute inspiration. The idli seller on the bicycle. How can you not admire his enterprise, his energy levels and his hospitality. He arrives everyday morning, ringing his cycle bell, carrying his goodies of idli and chutney in tall steel boxes, which retains heat for sometime at least. He then makes his stop, wherever a person shows some interest. And he serves with a smile and graciously asks if you want more chutney.

He is also a raconteur for he discusses various issues from child birth to the road accident of the day. Your day definitely starts off on a good note. A full stomach on a low budget and there is nothing to complain about the taste or quality of the said breakfast. This man then drives back home to help make another batch of batter for the morrow. He is probably also planning what to make for lunch or tea time. He is definitely bothered about the cost of his power bill, the education of his children (for he does not want them to do the slog) and his hospital bill (for he has senior dependents).

I will definitely do a piece on `A day in the life of....'

He is more concerned about whether the road he traverses is smooth or not. How is he concerned about the national highway, or a bullet train or plane fuel. In the long run, yes, but immediately he only wants to know that he is safe in his business and can carry on till he can work.

It is a slog for all these micro entrepreneurs. The cycle man is at the most micro level, then it is the bandi fellow. Have you ever met a sullen or a rude bandi fellow? I have not and I eat quite often at the roadside. Only once a bajji maker shouted at me when I asked him to give me hot bajjis. I pardoned him because Chiru bhais movie had just released and the crowds were surging and he was not in an indulgent mood right then.

How are any of these people concerned with Nirmala Sitaraman or her speech and presentation. Of course it mattered when the micro entrepreneur's  CM reacted to the nation's budget and called it a `golmaal' budget. Today people will get juicy gossip with their idli and chutney,

There was some discussion about `dharma' and `adharma', making me wonder how anyone got away by talking about `dharma'. But then, justice will be meted out, at some point of time.

But till then let us eat our idlis and dosas and bajjis with chutney and fie to the budget, I say.