Ludhiana, Feb. 2 -- The Union Budget for FY 2025-26, presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday, has received mixed reactions from different sections of society. While some have appreciated tax reliefs and incentives for industries, others have criticised the low allocation for healthcare and the lack of concrete measures to tackle unemployment.

Dr Arun Mitra, president of Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD), called the 0.1% increase in health allocation a cruel joke. "At Rs.98,311 crore, health spending accounts for only 1.9% of the total budget. This translates to just Rs.673 per person-far from sufficient even to keep up with inflation," he said.

Dr Shakeel Ur Rahman, general secretary of IDPD, raised co...