Ahmedabad, 21 February 2013

And here are the headings in the newspapers published from Ahmedabad, Gujarat on Gujarat budget 2013-14.

Gujarat Samachar, the highest circulated newspaper in Gujarat says, “OMG 1,14,450 crore size of budget of Gujarat!”

Gujarat Samachar also highlights Rs 58,500 crore annual expenditures, Rs 76000 crore for development, Rs 245 crore relief in taxes, Rs 289 crore new taxes, Rs 840 crore surplus and Rs 20000 crore fiscal deficit in sub heading.

In other headlines Gujarat Samachar says:

-No professional tax for those earning upto Rs 6,000
-23,000 businessmen will not need to file return if they pay half a percent VAT

Now coming to the second most read newspaper Divya Bhaskar. In it’s front page main headline this newspaper says: Dull budget: Rs 289 crore taxes imposed.

Rather than catering information, the newspaper is more opinionated in its headline and writing throughout, and in one of the sub headings it says: Common man’s aspirations not fulfilled.

Enjoying second position at par with Divya Bhaskar in terms of effectiveness, Gujarati newspaper Sandesh in its front page headline says: The budget is one step ahead in the direction of Modi’s Mission 2014. The newspaper described budget in two words as, “Paanidaar budget”.

The most read English newspaper Times of India’s headline on budget is: Ailing social sector gets budget boost. In sub-headline it says: Rs 114K-cr State Budget Lays Ground for ’14.

The Indian Express’s headline on Gujarat budget is interesting. It says: Budget 2013-14 Made in Gujarat, for India. In sub-head it says: Narendra Modi says it’s better than Union budget since 65% of its share is earmarked for development.

The Economic Times in its headline says: Biz on Fringes in Middle-Class Budget.

Rajkot based Phhulchhab in its headline says: The budget is lesser than expectations, Rs 114450 crore budget, Rs 840 crore surplus, Rs 245 crore relief, Rs 289 crore burden. Phhulchhab and Kutchmitra both highlight Rs 801 crore allocation for Narmada canal works in Kutch district.

Surat’s Gujarat Mitra newspaper’s headline is exactly what Congress leaders stated yesterday in their press releases. It says: No relief in VAT on petrol-diesel, power costlier. Sub headline mentions surplus figure, Rs 54 crore for execution of new textile policy etc. An announcement on specialty hospital in Surat for Cancer-Kidney-Heart also figures in one of the stories.