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| Union Budget evokes mixed reaction | | Budget unrealistic, waiving off farmer’s loan, a welcome step: Gupta | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Mar 1
The Union Budget presented by the Finance Minister in the Parliament on Friday evoked mixed response in Jammu and Kashmir.
Describing the budget as ‘unrealistic and bad economics’ about fiscal management of the country, the former Union Minister and a senior BJP leader, Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta however, welcomed the waiving off the loans of the farmers and raising the income tax limit.
‘It looks like to seek help of straws when the ship of the Congress-led UPA government has been caught in the whirl-pool caused by their own wrongs, especially because of the soaring prices and galloping unemployment amongst the educated youth coupled with so many other problems including terrorism and separatist tendencies, he said and maintained that mere sops would not work to have their ends.
About Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP leader said that many problems facing the people of border areas as also those of the migrants have been overlooked in the budget.
He alleged that Congress operating under influence of communal virus, had not only ignored the problems of refugees, educated unemployed and other sections of Jammu people, little dispensation has been made for early execution of some vital projects in this region. One of these was the most strategic bridge at Ravi in Basohli area which was entrusted to the defence ministry during Vajpayee led NDA regime over five years ago and certain preliminary works were also taken in hand.
The BJP leader observed that pre-poll budget gimmicks would not work as the poll results of Gujarat, Himachal and other places have well indicated that vast masses are fed up with such a type of Congress polka.
State Secretary MY Tarigami while reacting to the budget said that some positive steps have been taken but the fact remains that they fall short of what is required to address the concerns of the people- price rise, unemployment and agrarian distress.
While the debt relief for the farmers is a welcome and long overdue step but the actual increase in the plan outlays on agriculture have not matched the pro-farmer rhetoric with the allocation for irrigation actually witnessed a fall over last year’s budget, Tarigami remarked..
Budget 2008-09 has not addressed the inflationary trends in the economy adequately, especially with regard to food and fuel prices. He welcomed the increase in the remuneration of Anganwadi workers and helpers and observed the universalisation of the ICDS, as mandated by the Supreme Court, would require much more than the insignificant increase in allocation of Rs 880 crore made in Budget for 2008-09.
CPI leader said while the Finance Minister has assured that the NREGS outlay would be increased in accordance with the demand, the fact that the outlay has been increased by around 20% only in Budget 2008-09, when the number of districts covered under the scheme has almost doubled does not provide the appropriate signal. Overall, given the half-hearted attempts made in Budget 2008-09, which is the last budget of the UPA Government, it does not seem likely that the crucial commitments for peoples’ welfare made in the NCMP can be met, Tarigami maintained.
Describing the Budget ‘as a clear reflection of the appeasement policy’, the State BJP spokesperson Ramesh Arora said relief to farmers was only keeping in view the forthcoming election and not in the larger interest of nation. The sudden increase and decline in the sensex has not been taken care of He said that no provision has been kept and no long term policy has been framed to meet out the demand of farmers, who are suffering in the hands of private parties, advancing loan to them on very high rate of interest, resulting in their suicide.
So for as the state of J&K is concerned ,the BJP spokesperson said no specific fund has been allocated in the budget for upgrading Medical College, providing rehabiliation to border migrants, terrorism-affected families, Village Defence Committees (VDCs) etc.
Describing the Union Budget as an ‘eye wash’, President Jammu and Kashmir Beopar Mandal Sunil Dimple said that the problems facing the common people on account of hike in prices of essential commodities have remained unattended and more so no proper attention has been given to tackle the growing unemployment problem in the country in general and Jammu and Kashmir in particular.
To protest against the anti-people budget, hundreds of traders held a massive demonstration in the winter capital today and burnt the effigy of UPA Government and also disrupted traffic.
Describing the budget as ‘people friendly’, Vice President DCC Vijaypur, Balal Gupta has hailed the UPA Government decision to waive off the agricultural loans which would give much needed relief to the farmers who were compelled to commit suicide due to non-repayment of outstanding loans. |
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