NEW DELHI-The Budget in Perspective

The Budget in Perspective B M THE instant and instinctive reaction to the Budget for 1978-79 has been one of disappointment. This has been so on all sides. The captains of industry and trade feel that they have not got the concessions and incentives which they expected and for which they had worked so hard. Leftist opinion has, on the other hand, strongly denounced the additional tax burdens which have been heaped on the people by the general, across-the-board hike in excise duties. So far as the Finance Minister is concerned, he is seen to shrug off the critics. His stand is that everybody is so preoccupied with his own particular interests and problems that there is just no appreciation of his difficulties as Finance Minister.