Sir,
Besides the exalted jubilation and sugar-coated praises from politicians, the so-called historic budget presented in Parliament in February 2026 seems to bring no change or bear any fruit for the general public. 2026 is coming to an end and the lives of ordinary people are still the same, or perhaps even worse.
Roads are still dusty and full of potholes, public service and infrastructure are subpar, drainage and sanitation remain a major concern, water supply is a thing of the past in many areas like East Dimapur which has been deprived for more than 15 years, electricity is unstable and erratic, fuel prices continue to rise despite the procurement of cheap Russian oil, and apart from paracetamol no medicine is affordable. Public transport is almost non-existent in Dimapur, there is no relief from the burden of tax on goods and services, saturated government jobs is the favourite excuse for unemployment, red tape and the syndicate raj continue to discourage business and investment, justice is expensive and a luxury for the poor, the rupee–dollar rate shows no sign of decline. India’s ranking in the HDI is 130th and in the global passport index 125th, pollution is high, inflation is high, censorship is high, corruption is high, and the list goes on.
Despite the historic budget, one thing is certain: apart from those in power and their loyalists, the lives of ordinary people remain, and will remain, the same. Kuknalim.
Yours Sincerely,
R. Francis Kikon
Naharbari, Dimapur.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026