Dubbing the Union Budget 2016-17 “hopeless”, the Trinamool Congress targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre for failing to safeguard the interest of the poor, youth, farmers as well the industry.
State Finance Minister Amit Mitra criticised the Centre on Monday for presenting a “directionless Budget which has nothing in it either for the poor or for Bengal.”
In a statement issued earlier in the day, the TMC leadership said that despite their positive outlook, they are “compelled to be critical” as the Budget is “stereotype and routine.”
“We are left with no option, but to call it a hopeless Budget: no hope for industry, no hope for the farmers, no hope for the poor, no hope for the middle class, no hope even for the sensex,” said the statement.
The TMC leadership refuted the Centre’s claim of boosting social welfare schemes by allotting Rs.38,500 crore whereas last year it was Rs.34,000 crore. They pointed out that the related allotment in 2009-10 was Rs.39,000 crore and said that the Centre has actually decreased the funding in the sector.
They argued that despite the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s claim of “emphasising” the social sector scheme the reality in this regard was different. The TMC alleged that “almost 40 social sector schemes have been stopped and States have been burdened for funding new schemes.”
“Lots of good prose in the Budget, but where are the jobs? Where are the solutions? How will industry benefit? How will agriculture benefit?” asked the TMC leadership.
Marginally focused on children’s issue: CRY
Meanwhile, Child Rights and You stated that not enough attention has been paid to child welfare initiatives in the Union Budget. Komal Ganotra, Director of CRY’s Policy, Research and Advocacy wing, said: “The non-voting population (children) of the country has yet again not received adequate resources in the Union Budget 2016-17. The increased outlays in social sector in the 2016-17 Union Budget has focused marginally on children’s issues.”
She also stated that the allocation for child welfare has “marginally increased” by Rs.1,123.35 crore. The statement further pointed out that allocation for the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICDS) has decreased from Rs.402 crore to Rs.397 crore in the current Budget.
“The Union Budget has not fulfilled expectations of the civil society sector with reference to child protection,” said Ms. Ganotra
