New Delhi, Jan. 13 -- In the run-up to the upcoming Union Budget, Mint conducted an online poll from 28 November and 30 December inviting its print and digital readers to share their views on how the government should approach the annual exercise. Should the Budget be populist? Is it time to relax income tax slabs? Should women and farmers get extra attention in the Budget? Those were among the questions we posed to our readers. Here's what we found.

(An advance copy of this survey's findings was presented to finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier this month.)

At the broad policy level, the poll observed a preference for short-term government planning over long-term ambitious goals. Respondents were divided on their view on populis...