NEW DELHI: The Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ravi Shankar Prasad has hailed the General Budget as a growth-oriented people's budget, but avoided any reference to the royal ignore that the media and entertainment industry has been handed out by the Finance Minister.

Dwelling on the exemption duty on the pre-recorded audio discs, a long-standing demand of the entertainment sector, Prasad said it will not only boost the sector but also help in checking piracy.

He said the Finance Minister has demonstrated that we are for reforms but ensured that the reforms have to be implemented with a human face. While insisting on the issues of social concern, he has seen that focus on core sections has to be emphasised. The budget touches all sections of society and whole lot of vital issues like rural development, education, people below the poverty line, health, power, senior citizens, the handicapped and the small scale industries sector.

Prasad said that the emphasis on development infrastructure sector like Road Development, Airports, Sea Ports, Power, Housing, Textiles etc. would give a boost to all round development.