Budget 2023: Middle class 'woes' prompt flurry of memes amid FM Sitharaman's address
1 min read . Updated: 01 Feb 2023, 12:17 PM IST
PremiumFinance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will have to do a tight-rope walk between staying fiscally prudent and general public expectations of lower taxes and a wider social security net, while at the same time firing the engines of the economy before general elections.
Budget-themed memes took over the internet on Wednesday morning as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the Parliament. This is the Narendra Modi government's last full Budget before general elections are held next year. And while officials had assured ahead of time that people's expectations would be reflected in the Budget, many voiced skepticism on social media platforms.
Sitharaman said today that the 2023 Budget would will focus on economic growth and job creation. She added that despite a global slowdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, the Indian economy was "on the right track".
Expectations are rife that she may tweak income-tax slabs to provide relief to the middle class and increase spending on the poor through programmes such as the rural job scheme while ramping up financial incentives for local manufacturing.
Also read: Budget 2023 Live updates from FM Nirmala Sitharaman's speech
Hashtags such as "Budget2023" and "incometax" have been trending on Twitter since morning, with many lamenting for the ‘middle class’. While some did touch upon their very limited knowledge of finance and economics, this was not a deterrent when it came to social media posts.
Many of the comments also took a political slant, with critics lashing out at the BJP-led government. Others still took a somewhat technological approach, asking ChatGPT about the components of an ‘ideal’ budget for India.
But even as millions wait for the Budget updates, the abundance of memes on Twitter suggest that many of them are not holding out much hope.
Read more about the 2023 Budget here.
(With inputs from agencies)
