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Budget 2023: From unemployment to rising prices, Oppn says key issues ignored
Senior ministers in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government, however, defended the Union Budget and called the plan “progressive”, arguing that it will help empower all communities across the country
Opposition leaders on Wednesday criticised the Union Budget 2023-2024, accusing the Centre of doing little to address rising prices, widening economic disparities, and unemployment.
Senior ministers in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government, however, defended the document and called the plan “progressive”, arguing that it will help empower all communities across the country.
Leading the charge for the Opposition, former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said the Budget betrayed the hopes of millions. “Who benefited from this Budget? Certainly not the poor. Not the youth looking desperately for jobs, not those who have been laid off, not the bulk of the taxpayers, not the homemaker, not the thinking Indians who have been shocked at growing inequality,” Chidambaram said in a press briefing.
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“The government is also determined to push the new tax regime, which has few takers. Besides, making the new tax regime the default option is grossly unfair. It will rob the ordinary taxpayer of the meagre social security they may get under the old tax regime,” Chidambaram said, attacking one of the key announcements Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman made during her Budget speech in Parliament.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also hit out at the Narendra Modi government, arguing that the Budget did not have a road map for the country’s future.
“‘Mitr Kaal’ Budget, has NO vision to create Jobs, NO plan to tackle inflation, NO intent to stem Inequality 1% richest own 40% of wealth, 50% poorest pay 64% of GST, and 42% of youth are unemployed- yet, the PM doesn’t Care! This Budget proves Govt has NO roadmap to build India’s future,” Gandhi tweeted.
Several Opposition chief ministers also hit out at the Budget.
Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal said the Budget will “increase inflation” and did nothing to soothe inflation. “There is no concrete plan to remove unemployment. Unfortunate to reduce education budget from 2.64 per cent to 2.5 per cent [of GDP]. Reducing health budget from 2.2 per cent to 1.98 per cent is harmful,” he tweeted.
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His West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee said the Budget offered “no ray of hope” and alleged that it was prepared “with an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections”. “The Union Budget is not futuristic, totally opportunistic, anti-people and anti-poor. It will benefit only one class of people. This Budget will not help address the country’s unemployment issue,” she said.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot called the Budget “disappointing” for his state. “The people of the state are disappointed because the central government did not accept our just demand of giving national status to the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project, an important project related to the development of Rajasthan,” the Congress leader said.
Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav tweeted, “BJP’s budget further increases inflation and unemployment. Farmers, labourers, young people, women, job professionals, the business class do not have hope, but despair because it [the Budget] is made to benefit only a few big people.”
However, senior BJP leaders dismissed the criticism, and hailed the Budget as one oriented towards growth, welfare, and development.
Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia called the Budget “progressive”. “#AmritKaalBudget strikes a fine balance b/w uplifting women,youth, Kisan & the middle class, unleashing of animal spirits of MSMEs, and fiscal consolidation. A “progressive” budget that ticks all the boxes & powers India’s growth drive. A budget for all! @nsitharaman,” he tweeting, adding in a further post that the finance minister’s decision to approve the construction of 50 more airports will help strengthen regional connectivity.
Union petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted the increase in capital expenditure from expenditure by 33% to ₹10 lakh crore. “Money spent on urban infrastructure will benefit people. Expenditure incurred through economic activities especially infrastructure building and capital expenditure is productive. This Budget will give benefits to all sections of society whether it is youth, women, SCs and STs,” he said.
Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal called it a Budget that “strengthens the country”. “This budget empowers 140 crore people. This budget is preparing India for a brighter future,” he said.
