The Interim Budget for financial Year 2019-20, presented by Acting Finance Minister Piyush Goyal today, was highly criticised by Opposition party leaders, who termed it as a populist budget aimed at garnering votes in the upcoming General Elections.
The leaders said that most of the provisions of the budget are aimed at garnering votes. State Congress president, Ajoy Kumar said, “It is a populist budget, but the Government has failed to explain from where they will generate funds for meeting budget provisions.”
Congress MLA from Lohardaga, Sukhdeo Bhagat said that the budget is misleading and far away from truth. “The Government is beating its drums that the budget is development oriented, but the Government should reply how investors have withdrawn Rs 83,552 crore from Indian market if there is growth in all sectors. The government should also reply on loses common people and traders have incurred due to demonetization and faulty implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST),” he said.
The principal opposition party of the State, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, also slammed the union Government for presenting ‘election lollipop’ budget.
JMM MLA from Baharagora, Kunal Sarangi said, “The budget is without any vision and focus. The acting finance minister Piyush Goyal, while presenting the budget has talked a lot about development agendas, but there is no mention about job creation.” He further said, “The Finance Minister, keeping an eye on election has doled out sops for farmers announcing an annual income support of Rs 6,000 for small farmers. The Government should have announced loan waiver of farmers.”
Jharkhand Vikas Morcha legislator, Pradeep Yadav said, “The government while trying to present the populist budget has tried to save its face and it is an unsuccessful attempt by Modi Government to please farmers and common man. Much of provisions and relief, which the Government had announced in today’s budget had announced four years back it would have yielded results.” Trade bodies such as Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) also slammed the government for presenting a populist budget in election year. The CITU said that it is a fraudulent attempt to cheat the people in a desperate bid to attract votes when defeat in the ensuing Parliament elections is staring at its face.