Strongly criticizing the Union Budget 2013-14 of the Congress-led UPA Government, Shri Narendra Modi said that the Budget reflects the disconnect between the Government and the people of the nation. He added that there is no linkage between the Budget and the 12th 5 Year Plan and that it lacks a growth strategy for India’s economy. He declared that the Budget is a living document of the UPA’s non-performance and gives nothing to the
‘Aam Aadmi’.
The Chief Minister opined that the Budget fails to reflect the dreams of development that the people of India have. He pointed out that Budget provides no direction on issues such as skill development and job creation for the youngsters. He shared that the Prime Minister has been talking about the demographic dividend in NDC meetings but only a sum of Rs. 1000 crore was allocated for skill development. In contrast, Gujarat has allocated over Rs. 800 crore for skill development.
He affirmed that considering the global economic scenario, the Indian economy would not improve. In this atmosphere of poor economic conditions along with rising prices, declining growth rates, dismal job creation, high current account deficit and fiscal deficit the people expect decisive and brave decisions whereas the same is not reflected in the Budget.
The Chief Minister also wondered how the FM assured that India’s economy would become a $ 5 trillion economy’ by 2025 when there is no sign of reaching near that target.
Shri Modi described the Budget as Budget torn between taking populist decisions to enhance their votebanks and tackling the country’s major economic issues.
Giving the example of the UPA’s poor planning, Shri Modi questioned why there is no sign to bring down total outstanding debt from the level of 40% of the GDP. At the same time he remarked on the lack of austerity measures announced in the Budget.
On the announcement of the ‘world’s first public sector women’s bank’ Shri Modi affirmed that co-operative banks even for women are functioning for long in Gujarat but UPA has put income tax on them thus making their survival very difficult. He questioned why the Budget has not spoken on the issue of healthcare.
Referring to the PMGSY-II announcement, Shri Modi asked if the announcement was influenced by political bias considering the states named were mostly Congress-ruled stated (Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan).
The Chief Minister further stated that the UPA realized rather late in the day on the dangers of food inflation yet, the Budget failed to show any strategy to tackle the same.
Shri Modi termed it as a disappointing Budget that lacks vision, adding that the UPA has shown remarkable consistency in disappointing the people of this country.
