Pradesh Congress Committee president Nijanjan Patnaik termed the Union Budget as an ‘election jumla’ and said the Budget indicates that AICC president Rahul Gandhi’s ‘minimum income guarantee’ promise has rattled the Narendra Modi Government.
“The Modi Government’s fear of upcoming general elections is clearly visible in the Budget. After neglecting middle class people for the last four years, the Government is now trying to fool them when elections are approaching,” alleged Patnaik in a reaction to the Interim Budget. Patnaik said the BJP Government has been baffled by the election results in three States. Moreover, immediate implementation of promises made by the Congress has created panic amongst the Prime Minister and his party colleagues, he said.
The fear of Congress president’s promise is being reflected in the interim budget, where the Finance Minister has proposed to give Rs 3,000 to the unorganised workers aged 60 and above with a monthly contribution of Rs 100 only. He wanted to know that why the Government had not made this provision during the last four years.
He said demonetization and GST have compelled thousands of small and cottage industries to close their units permanently and this also destroyed lakhs of jobs in the country. Has the Government done anything to help them, wanted to know Patnaik.
He said why the Government didn’t increase nontaxable income to Rs 8 lakh when it has made a 10-per cent reservation for unreserved families having maximum income of Rs 8 lakh per annum. There is no provision for women and unemployed youths in Budget, he said.