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Regular-article-logo Friday, 26 April 2024

‘Visionless’ budget to hit common man: Mamata

Mamata took to Twitter to issue a short statement calling out Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget

Our Special Correspondent Calcutta Published 05.07.19, 10:03 PM
The Bengal chief minister also attacked the increase in the prices of petrol and diesel — something she has always been strongly opposed to expressing her concerns over the cascading impact it would have on the daily lives of the masses.

The Bengal chief minister also attacked the increase in the prices of petrol and diesel — something she has always been strongly opposed to expressing her concerns over the cascading impact it would have on the daily lives of the masses. (Gautam Bose)

Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has said the Union budget is “visionless” and hike in fuel prices will affect the daily lives of common people.

Mamata took to Twitter to issue a short statement calling out Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget.

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“#Budget2019 is completely visionless. In fact, the total vision is derailed…. This is Election Prize!!” posted Mamata on the microblogging site.

The Bengal chief minister also attacked the increase in the prices of petrol and diesel — something she has always been strongly opposed to, expressing her concerns over the cascading impact it would have on the daily lives of the masses. “On top of it, not only have they imposed cess but also special additional excise duty on petrol and diesel leading to price increase by nearly Rs 2.50/litre for petrol and Rs 2.30/litre for diesel,” she said.

“As a result, price hikes will hit from transport to market to kitchens. Commoners are suffering and suffering,” Mamata added.

Earlier in the day, the Trinamul Congress’s national spokesperson, Derek O’Brien, mocked the Centre for the budget. “This is a ‘dream’ budget! Government is still only selling dreams and not delivering. Far from a dream, it’s a nightmare for common people who are suffering,” he said.

O’Brien said provisions of foreign direct investments in areas such as the media and aviation, besides more benefits to foreign insurance intermediaries, meant the Centre had introduced the concept of “Sell India”.

“Jobs and the issue of job creation not addressed in policy terms. We were told about a new TV program for startups,” said O’Brien, Trinamul’s leader in the Rajya Sabha.

He pointed out that the railways – which had its separate budget till 2016 – was discussed for “only two minutes”.

“So, as Trinamul had predicted a few years ago, the railway budget has disappeared. Special Purpose Vehicles for railways is anti-federal, it burdens states,” he said.

“Cess, too, mocks federalism, since cess is not shared by Centre with states,” he added.

The Trinamul statement also claimed that at current growth rates, the Narendra Modi government’s promise of doubling of farmer income will – instead of the promised 2022 – take place not before 2040.

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