By IANS,
New Delhi: Thankfully there was no hike in the prices of daily use items as well as airconditioners and mobiles — this was the general reaction Monday to the union budget by most housewives already battling high food prices. But some are sore over increased taxes on branded clothes and jewellery.
“Milk, vegetables and other consumer items are already on the rise. Thankfully, there was no rise this year,” said Jayati Grover, a housewife and resident of Laxmi Nagar in east Delhi.
“It’s also important to see the finance minister take note of housewives, after the corporate sector and tax payers’ needs. We are the real recipients of the effects of any inflation that takes place in daily consumer goods,” added Grover.
According to the union budget, items including low-end housing loans, diapers and sanitary napkins, homeopathic medicines, agarbattis, pistachio, and raw silk materials have become cheaper.
Shalini Prasad, a homemaker living in Sarojini Nagar, said: “We are relieved that prices of essential household commodities have not gone up. Moreover, as the summers are fast approaching the slashing of prices of air conditioners is good news.”
However, not all homemakers are happy as many found the hike in prices of branded jewellery and clothing uncalled for.
“This is something all women should oppose, and not just housewives,” said Shreya Nijhawan, 32, from Vasant Vihar.
“The inflation is so much, we think twice before buying anything, and now with this hike we will have to think many times before going for shopping,” she said.
Some were upset that meals at airconditioned restaurants serving liquor will be dearer.
“Almost all good restaurants serve liquor and they are family restaurants, so the hike simply means every meal out will be costlier,” said Rakhi Khanna, 27, from Noida.
She jokingly added: “The best thing about the budget is that legal services will be expensive, we may expect lesser divorces now.”
Consumer durables like TV, fridge, washing machines did not witness any hike or decrease in prices.