GUWAHATI, Feb 2 - Terming the Union Budget 2020-21 as �directionless� and lacking any remedial measures for reviving the economic downturn, the State Congress today alleged that the annual document has nothing specific for Assam.
Addressing a press conference here, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president and Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora said the Union Budget has brought only �disappointment and frustration� to the general public, and added that only the big corporate houses have been given benefits.
�There is nothing for Assam in the Budget. Only two projects have been announced for the State. One concerns development of five places of historical and archaeological importance as iconic sites. Sivasagar has been included in the list. We welcome the inclusion of Sivasagar in the list. However, we want to know why Majuli was not included... Majuli is the constituency of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Why was he (Sonowal) not able to convince the Centre and the Union Finance Minister to include Majuli in the list,� Bora said.
�The second project is modernisation of the waterway from Dhubri to Sadiya. We welcome the project. But we are skeptical whether it would become a reality. Earlier also, they (BJP government) had promised to undertake dredging of the Brahmaputra and construction of expressways on both banks of the river. Nothing happened. So this time also we have doubts if the newly announced project will be taken up in reality,� he said.
Bora said the Central government has allotted thousands of crores of rupees for Ganga rejuvenation over last few years. �Why has the Brahmaputra been deprived? The Brahmaputra is no less important than the Ganga,� he said.
The Congress leader alleged that the Budget presented yesterday by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has failed totally to suggest concrete measures for reviving the economy and arresting the slowdown. �They have given incentives only to the big corporate houses and all other sections have been deprived. Barring some nominal reduction in personal Income Tax slabs, there has been no relief for the common individual. This was the longest Budget but with the shortest expectation,� Bora said.
He added that the Budget has only laid emphasis on sale of government�s stake in major PSUs and promoting privatisation. �Major financial institutions like the IMF and the RBI have accepted that India is facing economic crisis. But the Budget document has not mentioned this fact. GDP growth is at an 11-year low... Consumption has fallen to a seven-year low due to reduction in purchasing power of the masses. Investment growth is at a 17-year low. Manufacturing growth is at a 15-year low. Tax growth is at a 20-year low. And food inflation has risen to its highest level is six years. There is no mention of all these in the Budget and no remedial measures have been suggested for tackling these problems. It is a totally directionless Budget,� he said.
Bora accused the NDA government of repeating old slogans and making the same promises again in the Union Budget. �The BJP has been talking about doubling farmers� income since 2014. But it failed to fulfil the promise to increase the minimum support price by 50 per cent. The Budget has now reduced food subsidy and fertilizer subsidy. How can you aim to double farmers� income that way? No arrangements have been made to prevent distress sale by farmers. They have spoken about ease of living. But how can there be ease of living without controlling inflation, increasing the purchasing power of the consumers and creating employment? Fund allocation for the MGNREGA has been reduced by Rs 10,000 crore. This is anti-poor and anti-rural step. How can you revive the economy without first empowering the rural economy? The Rs 3,000 crore allotted for skill development in a country of 130 crore people is laughable,� the senior Congress leader said.
