Budget 2012: It is a good budget says Congress

"It is a good budget," AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament. Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari said the Finance Minister has presented a "good budget" and given some concessions even in tough economic conditions.

"My first reaction is that in tough international economic conditions, the Finance minister has presented a very balanced and serious budget," he said. Tiwari, however, evaded questions on whether it will lead to further rise in prices. "I think in a very fluid international economic situation, the budget has built upon the fundamentals of the Indian economy and has endeavoured to provide a thrust to those areas which can return India to a very high growth trajectory," he said.

He said Mukherjee has balanced various imperatives and has presented a budget, keeping both medium term objectives and long term economic view in mind. On the increased focus on agriculture, Tiwari said, "I think India continues to remain, in terms of population, dependent upon agriculture - essentially an agro consuming economy. Therefore, to strengthen the agriculture sector in addition to manufacturing and services is the correct way forward."