By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has described the Union Budget as completely disappointing and directionless. He said that the budget does not offer solutions to existing problems specially inflation.
Giving his reaction the Chief Minister Mr. Chouhan said that the provision of seven per cent rate of interest on farm loans gives no relief to farmers and the provision of lowering it to four percent for timely repayment is also negligible. He said that the Union Government should lower it to one percent as done in Madhya Pradesh.
Referring to an increase in allocation for Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, the Chief Minister said that it is negligible and will not resolve farmers’ problems. Keeping in view multiple problems plaguing the farm sector, the increase is inadequate, he added.
Mr. Chouhan said that 17 per cent increase in social security head is insufficient in view of increasing number of the poor. He also described as inadequate the limit of income tax to 1.80 lakh saying that this could have been extended to three lakh considering high inflation.
He said that there is no special package for the backward and developing states while Madhya Pradesh demanded special package for inclusive development of Vindhya and Mahakoshal regions.
The Chief Minister said that the budget does not mention adequate provision for Bharat Nirman, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan or Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. He said that the states lack sufficient resources for implementing the Right to Education Act. The budget does not mention anything special about this, he added.
Mr. Chouhan said that the nine percent growth rate has no meaning until benefits reach out to the common people. He said that no concrete steps have been mentioned to combat the problem of black money. He said that the budget does not give any hope to the common people, farming community, women and the poor. The increase ambit of service tax will finally cause the financial burden to common people, he added. ([email protected])