RS-BUD-DEBATE

No foundation for oppn criticism of Budget:BJP in RS

New Delhi, Feb 11 () Hitting back at the Congress forits "incompetent doctors" remark on handling of the economy,the BJP on Tuesday said there was no foundation for theopposition criticism and termed as "wrong" the diagnosis andtreatment of the economy done during the UPA regime.

Participating in the discussion on the Finance Bill, BJPmember Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Union Budget for 2020-21 hastaken care of all sections of society and all sectors toensure all-round development of the country.

He said the demand will rise due to increased spendingpower and the government has infused money to increase publicsector spending.

"Our doctor is right and our diagnosis is alsoright....You did vote bank politics, while we are doing'sabka saath, sabka vikas,' he said.

"Your diagnosis was wrong and your treatment was wrongtoo. There is no foundation for your criticism. But you areindulging in misleading the country," he said.

Initiating the debate on the Union Budget for 2020-21,Congress leader P Chidambaram had said on Monday that theeconomy was close to collapse and was being attended by "veryincompetent doctors."

The BJP MP said investment and demand will rise throughthis budget and every section of society will be benefited.

Justifying the RBI paying the government out of itsreserves, he said it is the duty of every central bank toreturn extra income to the government and central banksacross the world do this.

Opposition members said the Budget has not lived up toexpectations and fails to address challenge faced by theIndian economy.

They also attacked the Union government for the "step-motherly" treatment to states and privatisation of publicsector units including Life Insurance Corporation of India(LIC).

PL Punia (Congress) said the government is not ready toaccept the crisis in the economy and urged the financeminister to consult experts to address the problem.

He also accused the government of doing nothing for thewelfare of scheduled castes and tribals, saying sub-plansbe restored for SCs and Tribals.

Continuing the debate on the Budget, TRS member K KeshavaRao said the Budget has set up an ambitious disinvestmenttarget and would be difficult to achieve. He said the dual taxsystem proposed in the Budget would benefit charteredaccountants.

The TRS member also raised the issue of "step motherly"treatment being given to States in devolution of taxes.

Binoy Vishwam (CPI) said the economy is already on"ventilator" and the Budget does not provide any solution toit.

He accused the government of selling off national wealthto select private companies.

Vishwam said even the BJP-RSS affiliated trade union BMSis opposing the stake sales in the LIC. He also rued thatallocation for MNREGA has been lowered by around Rs 10,000crore.

BSP member Veer Singh said the Centre has "ruined" theIndian economy and unemployment is at a 45 year-high. Hecharged the BJP-ruled central government has failed to fulfilits promises.

He alleged the Centre is ending reservations for SC/STsand OBCs.

Singh asked the government to provide reservation toSC/STs and OBCs in private sector if it is serious andcommitted to welfare of backward classes.

Kumari Selja of the Congress focused on Haryana in herspeech and said the State has not got its due in terms ofallocation of funds.

"There was lot of expectation from the Budget that itwill address problems of the country as well that of women,"she said, adding the Budget turned out to be a damp squib.

The Congress leader raised the reservation issue andaccused the Central government of misleading the House.

Participating in the debate, BJP leader RajeevChandrashekar said the Budget continues to address the "mess"in the economy left by the previous government. The UPA regime had left the economy in a crisis andfinancial market in a devastating state as scams explodedowing to loans given to 10 groups, he charged. "This nightmare was turned around by our government...Oureconomic management is in sharp contrast to theirs. We havedelivered unprecedented macro economic strength to theeconomy. This is the fact," he said, listing out achievementsof the Modi government in the last six years. However, there were cyclical and structural issues owingto disruptions in global trade, he said and added, "theseare growing pains in any economy and the government willaddress them all."

Hitting out at Chidambaram for the doctor remarks, theBJP leader said, "Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government had lefthealth and robust patient (economy) and handed it over to adream team of doctors (Congress) which after ten years left itterminally ill... "But the Modi government revived it although some painremains and that will be addressed. The government will notleave the patient to relapse," he said, adding the Budget 2020is a "careful and prudent" budget.

He said the government is off to a good budget start andhopes to achieve the target of USD 5 trillion economy. Criticising the budget, Congress leader Ripun Bora said itwas the "longest budget with shortest expectations" and listedout failures of the present government. He said the government has not set up a mechanism fordoubling of farmers' income. The budget allocation has beenmade only for 100 water stressed villages even though thegovernment's survey had identified 255 villages in 2019. Even on ease of living, the government has not made anyprogress as purchasing power of people has been decliningbesides there is rise in prices of essential items and growingunemployment, he said. Although one cooking gas cylinder is given free under theUjwala Scheme, people are not able to afford subsequentcylinders at such high rates, he said.

Bora said a person gets rice at a subsidised rate of Rs3/kg from ration shops but to cook it he needs Rs 45 per litrefor kerosene and over Rs 1,000 per cooking gas cylinder.

On Swachh Bharat Mission, he requested the House to senda parliamentary panel to Assam to check the quality of toiletsbeen build under this programme. Most toilets are notfunctional as they are not clean in the absence of water andeven quality of construction is poor.

On unemployment, the Congress leader said lowerallocation of Rs 3,000 crore for skill development shows thelevel of government's commitment towards resolving the problemof unemployment in the country.

Similarly on developing smart cities, the budgetallocation has been made for only five cities, although 100cities were identified, he said, adding Assam was ignored inthe budget. "Overall, this budget is not 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas', itis Ambani and few companies' vikas," he charged. NKD MJHSKC LUXDV DV