A detailed analysis of the social media conversations on Union Budget 2017 from January 26, 2017 to February 2.

1. Social Buzz on Union Budget 2017
6 February 2017 Proprietary and Confidential
Time-Frame: 26th Jan – 2nd Feb

2. © 2017 Blueocean Market Intelligence 2
Union Budget 2017 was reacted upon positively from social users, calling it
‘progressive’ and up to some extent ‘game-changing’
Top Trending Topics
Agriculture and Farmer Welfare
Railway Budget
Demonetization/Digital Economy
Personal Finance (Tax Slabs)
20 %
13 %
14 %
22 %
93%4% 3%
92%2% 6%
94%4% 2%
94%2% 4%
Infrastructure 10 %
97%2% 1%
• Sense of disappointment over lack of any major
announcement/incentive after demonetization;
other tax rebate for salaried employees
• Negative conversations were around lack of focus
on direct job creations, tax on banking transactions
& no rebate in transaction charges to promote
digital economy
• Exemption of tax for individuals earning up to 3LPA
• Reduction of existing rate of taxation from 10% to
5% (the lowest tax bracket) for all individuals,
thereby providing a benefit of up to INR 12,500 to all
tax payers has been applauded
• The government’s new approach to use data mining
to catch tax evaders and focus on digital transactions
to curb black money was much appreciated by the
audience
NeutralPositive Negative
Source: Twitter, Facebook, Blog & News website
Trending Topic Insights

3. © 2017 Blueocean Market Intelligence 3
Taxation and demonetization dominated overall chatter
• Discussions around how Budget 2017 proposal will impact the economy after
demonetization
• The 'Digi Gaon' initiative to promote tele-medicine and education will propel
the country towards digital future was positively appreciated.
• The proposed cash transaction limit at ₹ 3 lakh was touted as a positive step
towards curbing black money
• Transparency in political funding and recommendation to accept payments
through digital means were debated• Positive buzz on withdrawal of service charge on e-Rail tickets, bio-toilets in
all coaches by 2019 and merger of Railway Budget with the General Budget
• Discussion around:
• announcement of IRCTC and IRCON will help raise funds for railway
• allocation of fund for safety in rail
• 3,500 km railway lines to be commissioned in 2017
• new metro rail policy which will create new jobs for youth and end
to end transport solutions
• Discussions around :
• more credit to farmers,
• irrigation fund doubled from last year
• provision of separate electricity supply for farm & agriculture under
Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana
• Experts appreciated Government’s move for allocation of ₹ 3.96 lakh crore
budget on infrastructure
• Traction around
• 100% electrification of all village by May 2018
• airlines getting tax cut for small towns;
• budget allocation increase by 12% than last year to build new
highways
Agriculture and Farmer Welfare
Demonetization/Digital Economy
Railway Budget
Infrastructure
• Buzz on Income tax rate cut to 5%(in the lowest tax bracket) for all income
levels and increase on surcharge for high income group
• Salaried sector employees are dissatisfied and were expecting more tax
exemptions
• People with income > 50 Lakhs were feeling disappointed and burdened
Personal Finance
20 %
14 %
13 %
10%
22 %

4. 4
Gender Split
© 2017 Blueocean Market Intelligence
Demographic analysis: Profession and gender
Overall buzz were driven by
males.
Highlight of female related
conversations :
• Women activists
welcomed the Union
Government’s decision to
increase the allocation for
women and children
welfare from ₹ 1.56 lakh
crore to ₹ 1.84 lakh crore
• Females are considering
it a good move to give
₹ 6000 to a pregnant
woman to reduce
maternal mortality
32%
17% 15% 12% 10%
0%
50%
Journalists Senior Executives Professionals* Education Industry** Artists
• Overall buzz was driven by the Journalists where they gave
their views/analysis/key takeaway on budget 2017
• IT /Marketing /Sales Professionals were talking about GST &
tax rebate given to salaried employees
• Metro cities:
• 48% of buzz in Delhi was driven by Professionals
• Students, Senior Executives & Artists were more
vocal in Mumbai as compared to Delhi
• Highlight of Mumbai associated buzz (by professions):
• Education Industry: Mentioned that budget 2017
will give relief to tax payers, paves way for
promotion of skill based education & youth
employment, will boost rural economy & MSMEs
which have suffered most post demonetization
• Senior Executives: Impact of Budget on
startups/SMEs, affordable housing, tax rebate for
SME’s, Bharat net project were the most discussed
topic
• Artists: Around 10% of artists were talking about
allocation of fund for MGNREGA scheme and no
cash transactions above ₹3Lakh to curb on black
money. They are optimistic towards union budget
2017
Profession Mumbai Delhi
Students 50% 35%
Senior Executives 42% 38%
Artists 54% 29%
4*Professionals-IT/Sales/Marketing/PR
**Education Industry – Scientists / Researchers / Teachers /Students
% of conversations across Professions

5. 5
% of conversations across different States
© 2017 Blueocean Market Intelligence
Demographic analysis: Geography and top hashtags
• 69% of Union Budget 2017 conversations were
generated by Delhi, Maharashtra & Karnataka
• Political analysts & Journalists shared their
interpretations on how Union Budget 2017 will
impact economy & next month election in 5
states
• Out of the total conversations from West Bengal,
12% were around West Bengal chief minister
Mamta Banerjee criticizing the Union Budget
2017, however most of the people are
disappointed with Mamta’s reaction and they
have overwhelmingly supported Union Budget
2017
• In Poll bound states Goa & Uttrakhand
Sentiment observed around union budget 2017
was mixed in social media whereas in Punjab
80% of buzz were positive
• Buzz in Punjab is driven by congratulatory
message to Prime Minister & Finance Minister
for great emphasis on Digital India, rural
development & infra
• 16 % of total mentions in Uttar Pradesh, were
on Akhilesh Yadav wrote a letter to PM
Narendra Modi for unfair General budget
• However, overall sentiment around union
budget in UP is positive. Thumbs up to Union
Budget from Agra Footwear Industry. Lack of
initiative taken by government for farmer to
waive off their loan was criticized
32% 30%
7% 6% 5% 5% 3% 2% 2%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Delhi Maharashtra Karnataka Andhra
Pradesh
Tamil Nadu West Bengal Gujarat Haryana Uttar
Pradesh
Most used Hashtags All Tweets Impressions
#budget2017 96386 7473 M
#economicsurvey 8076 579 M
#unionbudget2017 7164 307 M
#askyourfm 6897 116 M
#budgetforbetterindia 5069 375 M
Audience Engagement Trends
5

6. Post Budget 2017Pre Budget 2017
• GST: Out of the total conversation for Good and Service Tax, 42% expected GST
Model Law to be passed in #Budget2017 to create a common Indian market, enhance
tax compliance, and boost commercial growth.
• 24% of the people emphasized that Railway Budget 2017 should focus on safety and
infrastructure development due to frequent accidents; announcement of new trains;
adaptation of flat fare instead of flexi fares.
• Out of the total conversations around agriculture sector before Union Budget 2017,
only 4% of the audience was vocal about the expectations for farmers in the Budget,
which included :
– relief for farmers to compensate their demonetization pain,
– farm insurance,
– preventing farmer suicides,
– reformed policies for farmers.
• Economic survey’s strong pitch for implementing Universal Basic Income contributed
to 60% of the conversation
• Around 40% of the audience appreciated Arvind Subramanian for using Big Data in
economic survey for policy analysis and studying migration within India.
• 14% of the chatter around expectation from Union Budget 2017 majorly were service
tax exemption on transactions and health sector; lower tax slab, affordable
housing, employment generation.
© 2017 Blueocean Market Intelligence 6
• 58% of the post budget discussion appreciated that the goods and service tax
implementation in the Union Budget 2017 will widen the base of indirect and direct
taxes with Data mining adaption.
• However, post the release of Union Budget 2017, mixed reactions came out, wherein
23% supported Government for friendly budget and its step for limiting cash to 2k for
political parties, while others blamed the government for not putting enough emphasis
on demonetization
• Budget 2017 is considered to be pro farmers budget because government has focused
on farm credit, irrigation schemes and crop insurance segments for facilitating the
farming operations.
• Post the announcement of the budget, around 40% audience questioned as to why
Universal Basic Income was not taken into consideration to curb corruption, eradicate
poverty and make subsidies reach poor effectively
• Post the revelation of the Union Budget 2017, government announced to use machine
learning and data mining to catch tax evaders, was seen as a progressive step to
expand the tax net by 60% of the audience
• Post the union budget, around 86% of the audience positively spoke about IT
exemption to startups and on home loan, affordable housing, MSMEs tax breaks,
Income tax rate cut from 10% to 5% for individual tax payers earning under INR 5 lakh
per annum
Pre versus post budget 2017 conversation trends

7. Railway (Pre/ Post)
• 45% of the conversation showed that announcement about:
– bio-toilets;
– commission railway lines of Rs 3,500 kilometers and
– end-to-end integrated transport solutions was much
appreciated as people didn’t expect such reforms in the union
budget 2017
Agriculture (Pre/Post)
• The statement by P Chidambaram on how farmers' community have
been completely cheated by Mr. Arun Jaitley didn’t receive any
support from the social audience.
• Few people said that he should stop misleading people with his vague
comments
Merger of Union Bill
• Merger of the railway and general budget was considered to be
historic as it removes the plan and non-plan expenditure.
• Few cited concern over this, since they believe that Indian Railway
might not receive its importance in the general budget
• Mr. Subramanian’s silence on demonetization during the discussion of
the economic survey was taken negatively by the people.
Income Tax/Digital Economy/Infrastructure
• Negative sentiment was due to:
– lack of focus on direct job creations,
– corporate taxation,
– no tax benefit under 80C,
– upper IT slab contributing to 15%
• The volume of conversation around ‘service tax’ before budget
announcement was 45% for the expected hike from 15% to 18% due
to demonetization, however, post budget 2017 it reduced as there
was no changes in the existing service tax.
© 2017 Blueocean Market Intelligence 7
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