AGENCY
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday termed the budget for 2016-17 as “disappointing” and said the proposals have “belied” the hopes of every section including industry, youth, farmers, women, traders and the common man.
Azad, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said, “BJP Government has mismanaged the economy for two years in spite of a windfall on account of oil import bill.”
To cover its failures, the BJP keeps harping on the past, he said. Accusing the Narendra Modi government of having a “focused” budget for handful of businessmen, Azad said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has not offered any roadmap to revive the economy.
Terming the budget as “disappointing”, he said, “It offers nothing to stimulate growth and revive the confidence of industries, rather it is focused on a handful of businessmen.”
He asked the BJP Government to accept the responsibility for failure to revive the economy. Questioning the government’s track record in fulfilling the promises it made in the past, Azad said, “Where are the measures to generate two crore jobs per year as was the electoral promise of the BJP and the Prime Minister?”
Seeking to counter the claims of some analysts that the budget was rural-oriented, Azad said farming sector is in deep distress with farmers forced to commit suicide due to mounting debt.
“This budget has not pronounced any steps to address this core issue of debt,” he said. He reminded Jaitley of his promise of raising income tax
deduction limit to Rs 5 lakh. “There is no relief for income tax payers. Finance Minister has forgotten the promise of raising the income tax limit to Rs 5 lakh,” he said.
Castigating the government for persistent fall in exports for the last 14 months, Azad said there is no plan to boost exports or the manufacturing sector which “is in deep slump as there is no demand and budget has not shown any promise to revive industry.” He said the common man has been “buried” under the burden of cess on services.
“The whole budget has belied the hopes of industry, youth, farmers, women, traders and the common man,” the Congress leader said.