Opposition in Lok Sabha on Thursday accused the government of slashing expenditure on various social sector schemes, cutting food and fertiliser subsidies and burdening the common man through the latest budget by doing nothing to check rising prices.
They were also critical of the government on the black money issue, saying the common man has got nothing despite the Prime Minister promising Rs 15 lakh in their accounts sooner than later by bringing back the black money stashed abroad.
Initiating the debate on general budget, Congress member Shashi Tharoor took a dig at the government for its failure to bring back black money stashed abroad, saying “only Rs 30 per person has been collected as against the promise of Rs 15 lakh for each bank account holders.”
People are still waiting to get Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts but some senior BJP leaders now say that was only a ‘political jumla (phrase)‘, he said.
Terming the budget as “political budget which is not for the common man”, Tharoor cited examples to say that even Sub-Saharan Africa spent 7 percent on health and education while India has allocated just 4 percent for this. The allocation for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has also been cut, he said.
He said the Budget has increased the burden on the ‘aam aadmi’ by levying more cess in the form of the Krishi Kalyan Cess.
There are challenges of oil price increase and monsoon failure, he said, adding that the fiscal deficit target of 3.5 percent seems difficult given fiscal pressure, due to 7th Pay Commission and decline in tax revenue.
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