A pro-corporate budget, say Opposition parties

It ignored assurances made to Andhra Pradesh during bifurcation, they say

The Opposition parties were highly critical of Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday.

The Opposition maintained that the budget was pro-corporate sector and ignored the assurances made to Andhra Pradesh during bifrucation.

YSR Congress leader D.A. Somayajulu dubbed the budget as disappointing. The budget was loaded with policies, promises and committees with an effort to present a rosy picture of the economy. There were no allocations for Capital construction of Andhra Pradesh and it is very disappointing, he said. YSRC Whip in Parliament Y.V.Subba Reddy blamed the TDP for not exerting pressure on the Central government for special package and Special Category State status.

Opposition leader in Legislative Council C. Ramachandraiah said the Central government laid emphasis on facilitating the corporate companies and ignored the much-needed perks for middle and low income groups.

Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao said budgetary provisions to Andhra Pradesh were not up to the expectations when the people expected a lot of help from the Centre. However, he welcomed allocations for IIM, IIIT, NIT, the Girijan Univeristy, IISCER, etc in the Union Budget and metro project for the city being allotted some funds as a first step. A.P. was the first State to have the national optical fibre network and would help it in becoming digital Andhra, he said.

CPI (M) dubbed the budget as pro-rich, pro-corporate, and anti common man. The party also found fault with the Centre for ignoring the assurances given AP Reorganisation Bill. CPI(M) State secretary P. Madhu said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu should be held responsible for this.

CPI State secretary K. Ramakrishna said it was a corporate budget and would not benefit common man and farmers. It appears there was budget was a quid pro quo for corporate companies that helped BJP in coming to power, he said.

“Except allocating Rs.100 crore for Metro Rail, there was no mention about special category status, tax holiday for industry, establishment of AIIMS etc in the budget,” said former PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana

BJP State president Kambhampati Hari Babu, however, said the Centre made a categorical statement that all “legal commitments” in the Reorganisation Act would be implemented. Major thrust was on skill development for youth, energising manufacturing sector, and attracting investments and economic development. Jan Suraksha, social security, through insurance schemes for poor, enhancing agriculture credit to Rs. 8.5 lakh crore and increase in funds to NREGA were some of the other major initiatives, he said.

CPI national executive member K. Narayana asked Mr. Naidu to pull out his two party colleagues – P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Y.S. Chowdary – from the Union Cabinet for the injustice done to Andhra Pradesh in the budget.

He said the Centre deceived both AP and Telangana after promising to concede special economic status and special package respectively.

YSR Congress too expressed its disappointment over the Union Budget with party leader D. Somayajulu stating that there was nothing specific in it.

It was unfortunate that there was no mention of any funding to the construction of new capital in AP. On the lines of railway budget, its thrust appeared to be only on the policies.

The meagre allocation to Polavaram project was raising doubts whether it would be completed everat all, he said.

Lok Satta Party founder Jayaprakash Narayan said the budget was impressive and path-breaking in many ways though there were serious omissions in it.

A vital breakthrough was achieved by accepting the Finance Commission’s recommendations to increase States’ share of Central revenues from 32 to 42 per cent, he said.