United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday hoped that Finance Minister P Chidambaram will address women and farmers' concerns in the Budget 2008-09, to be presented on February 29.

"The finance minister will be presenting the Budget at the end of this month and I am sure he will keep the common man's difficulties, especially faced by women and farmers in mind while preparing the Budget," Gandhi said at a Bank of Baroda's [Get Quote] function in her Parliamentary constituency.

While noting that 8-9 per cent economic growth rate was by no mean an achievement, she said real happiness will come when the common man's difficulties are wiped off.

Health and education for all is key to achieving real happiness, the UPA chairperson said.

At the public sector bank's function, Chidambaram said, "banks are not doing a favour when they lend money to you (farmers). Banks are discharging their duty when they are lending money."

The lending ratio in Rai Bareli and Sultanpur district is 35 per cent at present and will be increased to 50 per cent in the next 12 months, he said.

With Central Statistical Organisation projecting a slowdown in farm growth to 2.6 per cent this fiscal from 3.8 per cent in 2006-07, the government is expected to announce some measures to address the issue faced by farmers and the farm sector in the Budget.

Recently, a women delegation met the finance minister asking him to address the concerns of women left in lurch after their farmer husbands commit suicide in some parts of the country.

They also asked him to lay special emphasis on softer loan for them, especially for housing.