Hopeful that Budget will improve job market conditions: K Sudarshan

From a standpoint of job creation, I did not see any major triggers but with several initiatives lined up with the theme of 'ease of doing business' and also the overall trajectory and momentum of the economy, the job market conditions will only improve from here.

Plug-and-play ultra-mega power projects and proposed investment in roads will see some additional jobs created in these sectors.

I would have loved to see more announcements from the FM in sectors like healthcare and healthcare delivery, which could have triggered new opportunities for people, though health insurance does get a fillip, which could propel people towards quality healthcare.

I also didn't find much to cheer about in sectors like education where there could have been more initiatives to trigger private sector participation.

A boost to the infrastructure sector through clearing of roadblocks for projects and single-window clearances should also improve the overall sentiment within the banking sector, which has a significant exposure to the sector. The continued thrust on 'Make in India' should re-energise the overall manufacturing sector and will facilitate better absorption of engineers at all levels.

If one were to take a more pragmatic view of the Budget, the silver lining would be the government's commitment to encourage manufacturing in India and ease associated regulations and clearances. The job market will take positives out of this.

Let's hope for the best.

(The author is Regional Managing Partner - Asia, EMA Partners International)