MillenniumPost
Delhi

Budget disappoints working women

NEW DELHI: Women of the Capital are fearing of not getting jobs for the startups and small companies after the announcement of the reduction in the contribution that new women employees make to the provident fund, from 12 percent to 8 percent.
"The reduction of provident fund for women employees will result in less hiring of women in small-scale or startups which will be detrimental for young women looking for jobs, as companies will now have to pay more tax if women are hired," said Shreya Sinha, a media professional.
She added that in view of the latest Union Budget, as a woman employee, there is nothing much to look forward to. The tax rates for individuals remain unchanged, no modification for tax relaxation has been made. "The only good thing, not specific to gender though is the standard deduction of 40000 from the overall income, which will be a relief for all salaried employees,"
she said.
Finance minister Arun Jaitley announced loans to women self-help groups will increase to Rs 75,000 crore by March 2019. Women below the poverty line to get eight crore free gas connections under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (UJJWALA), he said. These schemes might have the populist impact on the rural women but the city women have questioned the absence of any particular scheme for them.
"The current budget has brought a series of repercussions on working employees such as me. With no change in Income Tax slabs for working individuals and a minor deduction against medical and travel allowances will conclude in paying more tax added along with Education Cess and Professional Taxes," said Surabhi Sarkar, a private company employee. She added that tax system in India aims at any individual and not the family supported by the individual. "To me, an individual who is the sole earning member in a family, the current budget has aimed at taxing my salary more than helping me save some for future purpose," said Sarkar.
Women of Delhi have noted that some basic changes in EPF cannot make a budget women-friendly and if there is a real urge of women empowerment then the working class women should get the focus.
"The budget has completely ignored the working women. The change in EPF is a gimmick and will force unemployment to us," said Saloni Sharma, an advertisement professional.
Overall, the main response to the women of the Capital was hope that the promises would be implemented properly.
"The union budget 2018-19 is a populist budget, largely focused on uplift of healthcare, education and agriculture sector in the country. I appreciate the proposed subsidised machinery for in-situ management of crop residue in Delhi NCR region.I also welcome the National Heritage City Development Augmentation Scheme undertaken to preserve and protect heritage cities of India," said Anupriya Keshri, a public relation professional.
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