Narayanasamy slams Budget proposals, says promises not backed by allocation

The former CM says ₹264 crore was allocated for Civil Supplies Department in 2022-23 Budget and this was cut to ₹246 crore; this raised doubts about implementation of the promise to pay ₹300 a month for LPG cylinder to ration cardholders

The former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy says many promises made in the last Budget remained only on paper. | Photo Credit: S.S. KUMAR

The former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy has slammed Chief Minister N. Rangasamy for presenting a Budget with “false promises.”

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, the former Chief Minister said the proposal to provide a monthly assistance of ₹300 for LPG cylinder to ration cardholders, free bus ride for women in PRTC buses and ₹50,000 as fixed deposit for newborn baby girls were made without any allocation in the Budget. 

The initiative to provide monthly assistance for gas cylinder was a welcome move considering the current high price for the commodity. But the government had not made any allocation for it in the Budget.

In fact, the government allocated ₹264 crore for Civil Supplies Department in 2022-23 Budget. The allocation had come down to ₹246 crore in the Budget presented by Chief Minister for 2023-24. When the allocation for Civil Supplies had been cut, the implementation of financial assistance scheme for LPG cylinder was doubtful, he said.

Free bus ride

The government had promised to allow free bus ride to all women in town buses. The announcement comes at a time when PRTC was struggling to maintain its fleet and even pay salary to the staff due to financial crunch, the former Chief Minister said. 

Several announcements made in the last Budget speech remain only on paper. Election promises such as reopening of ration shops and revival of textile mills are not fulfilled. The Budget proposals are made to cheat the public, he said.

The former Chief Minister questioned the move to handover the properties owned by the government to private parties.  “The government says it is considering utilisation of land owned by defunct textile mills and sugar mill. It gives an impression that the government has decided to handover the land to industrial houses. The Chief Minister is following in the footsteps of the Prime Minister,” he said.