‘Budget of desperation by govt past expiry date’: Mamata Banerjee
Taking a dig at the assistance proposed for farmers in the budget, Mamata Banerjee remarked that the scheme that is a copy of a scheme that is already running in her state.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has slammed the interim budget for 2019-20 and has described it as a budget by a government that will be past its expiry date within a month.
“The budget is a budget of desperation. It won’t be implemented. The new government will decide and pass the new budget. This government will expire in a month. In a month this budget can’t be implemented. The government has no moral authority to place a budget,” she said addressing a press conference soon after finance minister Piyush Goyal presented the interim budget.
Taking a dig at the assistance proposed for farmers in the budget, she remarked that the scheme that is a copy of a scheme that is already running in her state.
“I started Krishak bandhu. We have already announced an assistance of Rs 5,000 for every acre of land holding. This scheme has already been launched,” the Trinamool Congress chief said, adding that the Centre has announced Rs 6,000 for 2 acres.
“In the name of farmers they are cheating the farmers. They have not given any extra money for the MNREGA programme. There is no increase in rural development,” she remarked.
The Bharatiya Janata Party shot back saying that she should not worry about the future of the Centre government. “She does not have to worry about the expiry date of the government at the Centre. She should focus on what will happen to her government after the 2019 elections,” remarked BJP Bengal unit general secretary Sayantan Basu.
Reacting to the tax concessions proposed for the middle class, Mamata Banerjee said, “Where will the money come from? This government will soon be gone.”
“They are so desperate politically. Why didn’t they propose it for the past few years?” she asked.
Mamata Banerjee also gave reasons for why she walked out of the Ayushman Bharat programme. “We have our scheme for Rs 5 lakh insurance called Swasthya Sathi,” she said.
“They are acting as if the Centre is doing everything and the states are not doing anything. Let him become the prime minister and chief ministers of the states at the same time,” Mamata Banerjee said.
She also crticised the reduction of allocations in some sectors. “They have decreased allocation to Swachh Bharat Mission by 25 per cent.”
“There is a decrease of 13.4 per cent in funds for skill development programmes, a 29.09 per cent decrease in allocation for SC/ST and 20.8 per cent reduction in allocation for other vulnerable groups,” said Mamata.
Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra, who was present in the press conference, said, “The loan to MSME companies in 59 minutes is one of the biggest scams that this government has done.”
“A company founded by two young people from Gujarat in 2015 will have all the data. All information - from GST details, bank statement, information on directors - everything goes to them,” Mitra claimed.
He also alleged “continuous data manipulation” and questioned the 8.1 per cent growth data in the year of demonetisation.