India's middle-class demands answers before budget 2026, 'What did we pay for?' | Nirmala Sitharaman

With less than 24 hours to go for Budget 2026, India’s salaried middle class is turning the spotlight on a sharper question: “Where is our tax money going?” From hazardous air quality in Delhi-NCR forcing work-from-home advisories, to potholed and littered roads and non-functioning streetlights in many cities, taxpayers say the ground reality does not match the size of the government’s tax take. They argue that if income tax, GST and cesses keep expanding the Centre’s fiscal capacity, citizens should see clear dividends in clean air, reliable civic services, and accessible public health and education. In this pre-Budget series, taxpayers voice their frustrations and appeal to the Finance Minister to link tax policy with tangible improvements on the streets, not just in headline growth numbers. Watch for more