Oppn Slams Budget, FM Sitharaman Clarifies Economic Survey Numbers

FM Nirmala Sitharaman on 10 July replied to the debate on the Union Budget, which she presented on 5 July 2019.

(Photo altered by The Quint)

Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on Wednesday, 10 July, addressed the Lok Sabha, and answered questions about the Union Budget, which was presented by her last week, on 5 July.

Amid a debate over variance in numbers in the Economic Survey and the Budget, Sitharaman said both the documents present a consistent picture and her budget numbers are authentic adding the projections are “based on realistic estimates.”

‘No Roadmap To Lofty Visions’

Meanwhile, the Opposition parties slammed the Modi government for its “rhetoric and vision-less" announcements made in the Budget and accused it of failing to provide “employment” and address “farmers concerns.”

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that the Budget presented last week was characterised rather by a "mediocre set of announcements, distinctive misses, defining silences of matter of substance".

BSP’s Kunwar Danish Ali called the Union Budget against poor, farmers, women, youth, children.

DMK’S TR Baalu attacked the government on fuel prices and demanded its rollback. He also sought to bring fuel under GST.

“Public is suffering, the common men are suffering. This is very much an awful thing. This government will be pulled down because of this reason. It affects the farmers, it affects the petty shop owners and it affects everybody”   

TR Baalu, DMK Leader

Discussion on Budget Stalled in RS

At the same time, uproar by the Congress over political crisis in Karnataka stalled major part of proceedings in the Rajya Sabha for the second straight day on Wednesday.

But the national party finally agreed to continue the debate on Budget in an orderly manner on Thursday.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)