Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented Budget 2017 in the Parliament on Wednesday and said the government will ramp up spending on rural areas, infrastructure and fighting poverty.
Addressing parliament, Jaitley called his fourth budget one for the poor.
The best of #Budget2017 pic.twitter.com/hEFyP7Ou3A
— ScoopWhoop News (@scoopwhoopnews) February 1, 2017
But for those on Twitter it was a lot more and the tweets were flowing well before the scheduled start of the speech at 11 am.
Today is the day https://t.co/eFxvfjtJuU
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) February 1, 2017
Pic1: Arun Jaitley rest of the year.
Pic2: During Budget. #Budget2017 pic.twitter.com/ZbC5fbUtSj— Chika Pikaa Rikaa (@Simply_neev) February 1, 2017
Finance Minister presenting the box office collection of much speculated movie “Achhe Din”, New Delhi.(2017) pic.twitter.com/GYkJzyZMo0
— History of India (@RealHistoryPic) February 1, 2017
What would we do without LSTV’s insights? #Budget2017 pic.twitter.com/dh42veDM4N
— Deepanjana (@dpanjana) February 1, 2017
Budget news on TV:
1.FM has left the house.2.FM has stopped at a thela.3.He ordered chhole kulche4.HE ASKS FOR EXTRA CHHOLE!— Shree (@whyrus_) February 1, 2017
Every Year:
Pic 1: Common man before budget.Pic 2: Common man after budget.#Budget2017 pic.twitter.com/lVc0jN67zF— PhD in Bak*****!! (@Atheist_Krishna) February 1, 2017
Some predictions from earlier did not come true.
Modi has finished announcing everything.
Arun Jaitley, in his budget speech, will just get up, wish everyone a happy new year, and sit down— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) December 31, 2016
The stakes were raised the moment Jaitley started reading the speech, amid protests from some MPs who wanted the budget to be postponed due to the passing away of E Ahamed, a Congress MP from Kerala.
The budget is transformative:
It transforms taxes into election campaigns.Everyone into economists.And CAs into Gods.#Budget2017— Sorabh Pant (@hankypanty) February 1, 2017
And the ‘confused Indian’ tweets soon started.
Sir itna paisa kaha se aayega?
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) February 1, 2017
My face every time they casually toss out numbers like “forty-eight thousand crores” in the budget. pic.twitter.com/3GJvAsrhfY
— Rohan (@mojorojo) February 1, 2017
Rahul Gandhi right now.. #Budget2017 pic.twitter.com/cATMMBxHQO
— LolmLol (@LOLiyapa) February 1, 2017
Um, I am not sure I’d describe the guy who held me up at gunpoint as a “custodian” of my money, but hey, language. https://t.co/QsgGKhpp55
— Prem Panicker (@prempanicker) February 1, 2017
Hope Arun Jaitely allocates 1000 Crores to Shirish Kunder, Sajid Khan and RGV so that they don’t need to make any movies ever. #Budget2017
— The Viral Fever (@TheViralFever) February 1, 2017
There was one criticism that particularly stood out:
When you can’t figure out anything to criticize #Budget2017 😂 pic.twitter.com/ZE7DWKxDmf
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) February 1, 2017
Jaitley announced increase in investment in MNREGA, an UPA initiative and the irony was not lost on tweeps.
MGNREGA is a “living monument of UPA’s failure”, so we are allocating even more money to that monument. Ok. https://t.co/k0hMNeCwBt
— Prem Panicker (@prempanicker) February 1, 2017
Action – Reaction#Budget2017 pic.twitter.com/35d44BCI3V
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) February 1, 2017
The regrets. Oh, the regrets.
Should’ve paid more attention in Economics class.
— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) February 1, 2017
The Railways budget brought out an interesting reaction. (Bengalis, we tell you!)
FM announces new railways scheme called Coach Mitra. #CouldBeYourBengaliCousinButIsHopefullyMoreEfficient pic.twitter.com/AGIb67HJc4
— Deepanjana (@dpanjana) February 1, 2017
When Jaitley said funding to political parties will be slashed…
So many butts in that room must have clenched just now
— Rohan (@mojorojo) February 1, 2017
Political parties won’t be able to take donation of more than Rs 2000 in cash. HMP requests you to donate through Paytm. #Budget2017
— Maithun – HMP (@Being_Humor) February 1, 2017
And of course, the part every one was waiting for. Announcement on tax a.k.a. how much of your salary will not come to you.
Pic1: When you get to know TAX exemption limit has been increased.
Pic2: When you realised you are still jobless pic.twitter.com/a62gij9tbU— The Viral Fever (@TheViralFever) February 1, 2017
Unbelievable. Only 1.7 lakh people say they earn more then Rs 50 lakhs. There will be more people earning more than that in Chandni Chowk.
— Rahul Kanwal (@rahulkanwal) February 1, 2017
Lol, the 543 most corrupt people in the country applauding the statement about tax avoidance burden falling on the honest. Chup.
— Rohan (@mojorojo) February 1, 2017
Ideas on spending the extra 1k per month invited.
— dorku (@Dorkstar) February 1, 2017
Reaction of honest tax payers after watching every #Budget in India. #Budget2017 pic.twitter.com/Dk8WOTn0xV
— The-Lying-Lama (@KyaUkhaadLega) February 1, 2017
From the land of poor jokes…
10% surcharge on persons earning 50L+. It’s called surcharge because when you earn over 50L, people usually call you Sir.
— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) February 1, 2017
And what we loved the most…
MASSIVE BUDGET BREAKING: Lowest tax slab cut from 10% to 5%. HUGE cheer in newsroom as the freshers celebrate!! #Budget2017
— Anuj Singhal (@_anujsinghal) February 1, 2017
Freshers rejoice!
Lowest tax slab (for those earning Rs 2.5 – Rs 5 lakhs) cut from 10% to 5%#PartyTime #Budget2017 pic.twitter.com/Ubm0NXoREF— ScoopWhoop News (@scoopwhoopnews) February 1, 2017
Some people, though, had their priorities straight.
Thank you @arunjaitley ji, for no troll tax. #Budget2017
— Maithun – HMP (@Being_Humor) February 1, 2017
Dropped Cigarette from my DP for a day as a mark of protest for not talking about it in #Budget2017 !
— PhD in Bak*****!! (@Atheist_Krishna) February 1, 2017
It did not stop even after the budget ended.
#Budget2017 kis kis ko samajh me aaya?Public: pic.twitter.com/v4BbxjKkkQ
— PhD in Bak*****!! (@Atheist_Krishna) February 1, 2017
This budget is historic, just like all other budgets so far.
– Ramchandra Guha.— Sagar (@sagarcasm) February 1, 2017
Sir what do you have to say about tax net in India ? pic.twitter.com/qw78i1bAuk
— The Viral Fever (@TheViralFever) February 1, 2017
Thanks for the entertainment, Twitter.
And if you’re not sure why you should care about this year’s Budget, here are some good reasons right here.