A Surgical Budget for India - 2017

Since yesterday (30th of Jan 2017), my email box has been bushed with tons of e-invites for the 1st of Feb (tomorrow) to the post-budget analysis by experts. I was humbled that I am still counted in the "those who would be greatly impacted by the budget" list of wealth managers, until I realized that the people who are most impacted in this nation today are those with little or no wealth. Demonetization was a proof of how "Modi proposes - CA disposes" worked with the poor man bearing the brunt of the PM's stick.

I hope to be proven wrong tomorrow, but the budget tomorrow will be no different in putting a penny is the honest man's pocket and taking away a pound. The whole concept of income tax in India revolves around cracking the code or cracking the tax man. Tax is paid in return for goods and services to be delivered to the people. When all that one reads of is corruption and scams on a daily basis, is is hard to figure why people shy away from paying the formal tax when the "Corrupt Tax" works?

I, as a human appreciate the toil of the farmer. For his existence he is completely dependent on mother nature. But just because I live in the City, is my toil to earn my daily bread any less than tilling fields? Fending for survival in the urban jungles of India is equally a hand to mouth story filled with adjectives of stress and pain. Why then is the rich farmer allowed to go Tax Free?  

Preferential tax exemptions to certain States, class of people, types of businesses, all create loopholes for people to escape the tax noose. While Indians are now comparing President Trump to Mr. Modi for enforcing policies, I want to see if our PM has the same courage to stand up to and do something to kill this division and discrimination in tax classes which impacts the wealth of this Nation economically.

What is needed is a surgical budget that does not go after the tax payer's pocket but after the complicated anomalies and contradictions of the tax code; to make it so simple that there is not room for corrupt interpretations.

No I am not interested in post budget analysis, because it will be no different than the budgets in the past. Even if it is broadly good, it will be one of failed expectations cause it will not address the fundamental issue of making all equal when it comes to contributing to the welfare of this Nation.