Cong attacks govt for its budget proposals

New Delhi: Congress today attacked the Government over an ‘anti-farmer and anti-poor’ Budget and said the BJP-led NDA Government was taking credit for reforms introduced by the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government.

Resuming the debate on the Union Budget in the Rajya Sabha, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh claimed the NDA government has not fulfilled a single promise it made to the people while coming to power.

Singh said the BJP-led Government was now taking credit for the schemes which it opposed when the UPA was in power.

He cited the examples of reforms like foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail, Aadhaar, Goods and Services Tax, NREGA and direct benefits transfer schemes.

He said there was a difference between what the BJP says and what it does.

Singh alleged that the tax proposals in the budgets presented by the BJP-led government since it came to power, it has only benefitted the wealthy and burdened the common man.

“You have given benefits of Rs 30,000 crore to the wealthy and put a burden of Rs 50,000 crore on the middle class and the common man,” Singh said.

He said the GDP growth, if calculated by the old methodology, will come down to 5.5-5.7 per cent during this government’s tenure since 2014, claiming that all macro indicators have come down since the BJP came to power.

Ripun Bora, also Congress, said the 4.1 per cent target set for agricultural growth set by this government was unlikely to be achieved as the farmers have suffered great losses due to demonetisation and many states have not yet implemented the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

“In this backdrop, we cannot expect that the 4.1 per cent agricultural growth target will be achieved,” Bora said.

He alleged that the government has taken no steps to stop farmers’ suicide and the funds under National Rural Employment Guarantee Act have not been released to many states.

Meghraj Jain of the BJP termed it a “dream Budget” saying it will boost development in the country.

N Gokulakrishnan of the AIADMK said the Union Budget was like a plum cake with a lot of icing on the top.

He urged Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to take steps to remove all banking transaction charges as well as the charges imposed by some banks for maintaining a minimum balance in the accounts.

 

—PTI