Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that the Budget presented by the Narendra Modi government lacks the vision to create jobs, tackle inflation or stem inequality. Taking to Twitter, Rahul termed the “Amrit Kaal” budget as “Mitr Kaal” budget and said it proved that the government has no roadmap to build India’s future.
“Mitr Kaal’ Budget has: NO vision to create Jobs… NO plan to tackle Mehngai… NO intent to stem Inequality… 1% richest own 40% wealth, 50% poorest pay 64% of GST, 42% youth are unemployed- yet, PM doesn’t Care!” Rahul said.
Reacting to the Budget, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had said that it had been made keeping in mind the elections and not the country. “Budget 2023 is a total disaster, with no respite from unemployment and price rise,” said Congress MP KC Venugopal.
Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram termed the Budget “callous” and said it showed how far removed the government was from the concerns of the people.
“No indirect taxes have been reduced. There is no cut in the cruel and irrational GST rates. There is no reduction in the prices of petrol, diesel, cement, fertilizers etc. There is no cut in the numerous surcharges and cesses which are, anyway, not shared with the state governments,” Chidambaram said.
“Who has 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 are shocked by the growing inequality, the rise of the number of billionaires and the wealth being accumulated in the hands of the 1 per cent of the population. Certainly, not you,” he said.
In her Budget speech earlier today, FM Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled a slew of initiatives aimed at drawing people to the new income tax regime. The measures include a higher rebate limit and revised tax slabs. The government also proposed to increase the capital outlay by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore while increasing the allocation for Railways to its highest-ever figure of Rs 2.40 lakh crore.
In a televised address after the Budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded FM Sitharaman and said the “first Budget of Amrit Kaal” will build a strong foundation for a developed India.
