"Personally I feel the State Goverment should focus on giving sops and incentives to the IT Industry in Kerala rather than building IT Parks. The IT industry in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai did not grow from Government owned IT Parks. Basic infrastructure like good roads (connectivity), power and water in existing and established places is more important than starting more parks in new places."

However, for many, especially  government employees, the budget was all about the increase in pension age.

“I agree with the rise in pension age,” says Swaminathan, Primary Department teacher, Govt. High School, Kalady. “Even now, in many states, the pension age has already been made 60. I do not see any adverse impact on the employment opportunities for the younger people because of it. The vacancies that are left unfulfilled in various departments under the government are never properly reported in the first place. Even in schools, positions for special teachers like the art teacher, PT teacher, and the craft teacher are found vacant in most.”

“But,” he continues, “I do not see how the coming of so many airports are going to benefit the common man. In my view, the budget is neither good nor bad, just about average.”

While some feel good about the rise in pension age, others appear apprehensive about it. Advocate Rajagopal is one of them.

“The decision to raise the pension age is not a healthy one. Especially since nothing was mentioned in the budget for helping the many young people who are going to lose their job opportunities. They should have been supported with opportunities for other sources of employment. The decision to increase VAT isn't a good one either. The money could very well have been sourced by other means, rather than have it thrust on people. The traditional farmers have been left out in the budget with no incentives and no support. Overall it wasn't a bad budget, but it could have been better.”

It seems like the veteran politician in K M Mani has delivered according to the situation by delivering a budget, which neither gained applause, nor got booed, but simply had the fingerprints of an experienced hand all over it.

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