Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is a good advocate. But in Parliament, he has presented a bad case in the form of Budget. He claims that this is a vision budget. The problem is that this is just a vision budget, without no pronouncements on how to implement it.
In a way, Jaitley has announced a holiday for developmental works. Whatever has been announced is for States that will face elections in 2015 and 2016. Otherwise, this is a pro-rich budget designed to help corporate houses. Nothing has been given to the poor.
Schemes like MGNREGA, the pillars of the UPA’s welfare policies, are going to be finished. There are no new allocations for the scheme in reality. He says he will give money if the government is in a position to spend for welfare measures. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already made his stand clear on this coveted scheme.
Now, Jaitley offers a law to control black money. This proposed law is a farce. Why are they silent about the promise that they will bring back black money stashed abroad within 100 days of getting power? Making sound is no replacement for action.
Now, the Centre has enough money by not reducing the oil prices at a time when internationally crude oil prices are down. But Jaitley is not ready to pass the benefits of this to the poor.
Mallikarjun Kharge is Congress leader