The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : A pro-rich budget: Naidu

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

A pro-rich budget: Naidu

Special Correspondent

‘Rich-poor disparity will widen further’

Union Budget disappoints farmers on loan waiver
Centre’s income crosses Rs. 60,000 crore this year

HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday termed the Union Budget as “pro-rich and inflationary” and claimed “partial success” to UNPA’s campaign on waiver of overdue crop loans.

At a press conference, Mr. Naidu said, the budget would widen the disparity between the rich and the poor. “There is no attempt to ensure that the wealth generated from economic reforms reaches the common man and the poor.”

Disappointing

After making tempting promises, the Centre had disappointed the farmers by confining the waiver of loans proposal only to a small section. “We have demanded loan waiver for all farmers which would have worked out to Rs. 1,50,000 crore, but now it stands at Rs. 50,000 crore leaving out a large chunk. Even this after the UNPA carried out a relentless campaign by holding rallies all over the country.”

Barring this waiver, there was not much for the farmers, artisans and the poor, despite the fact that the Centre’s income had crossed Rs. 6,00,000 crore from Rs.4,86,000 crore last year.

“If the Centre wanted, it could have done a lot for the farmers. It should not forget that over 1.50 lakh farmers have committed suicide during the last three years of the UPA rule and the major reason was lack of credit.

It is unfortunate that the budget has no mention of Swaminathan and Radhakrishnan commission reports.”

Similarly there was not much for middle classes too. “It is a rich man’s budget and not for the poor, farmers and OBCs.”

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