Budget ignores unemployment: Yechury

The Left parties attacked the Centre over reducing the allocation for MGNREGS. CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said it is a criminal assault on the livelihood of youth. Yechury said India has 200 million missing jobs today. “No urban employment guarantee announced. MGNREGA allocation remains the same as last year’s ₹73,000 crore, which fell short by nearly ₹50,000 crore. A criminal assault on the livelihood of our youth,” he said. Yechury said rich should have been taxed more. “Budget for whom? The richest 10 per cent of Indians owns 75 per cent of the country’s wealth. Bottom 60 per cent owns less than five per cent. Why are those who amassed super profits during the pandemic, while joblessness, poverty and hunger have grown, not being taxed more?” he asked. He said the criminal assault on farmers too continued in the budget. Propaganda and spin is to double farmers incomes. Finance Minister proudly announces ₹2.37 lakh crore as MSP on wheat and paddy directly credited to farmers accounts. This is less than the MSP payments in 2020-21, which was ₹2.478 lakh crore,” Yechury said.