Bhubaneshwar, Feb. 1 -- Ahead of the presentation of Union Budget for the financial year 2026-27 in the Lok Sabha, women entrepreneurs and engineers in Odisha expressed their hopes for the Budget.

Speaking to ANI, Maitri, a entrepreneur, expressed her hopes for tax reductions on everyday essentials such as gas burners, purifiers, etc. She also highlighted the need for an effective tax structure, stating that women-led businesses should be "tax-free" to create more opportunities.

"I am an industrialist. My expectation from today's Union Budget is that essential commodities, such as a gas burner, will be included. A two-stove gas burner is essential for a middle-class, lower-income person. It also has 18% GST. It should be reduced. Today,...