Total rural allocation up by 24%, under various heads. No direct benefit from the budget for rural consumers, but higher allocation could trickle down eventually. The increase on other tobacco products is higher, which levels the playing field to some extent. Stocks in focus:Hindustan Unilever Ltd’s shares declined 0.2%, possibly because a direct boost to rural consumption is not visible. A higher tax on competing tobacco products is also useful to nudge the beedi smoker to move to cigarettes.

Source: Mint February 01, 2017 21:11 UTC