Budget 2008-09 Criticism by People's Representatives

Yashwant Sinha
BJP

FM has done precious little for infrastructure.

HT 1 March 2008, page 14

For an economy which is slowing down, a thrust on infrastructure would have helped in two ways. It would have increased investment demand in the economy and also it would add to the efficiency of the economy when it is completed. The finance minister has failed to provide.
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I agree with Mr. Sinha on this
At this point in time, instrastructure and public transport are the need of the hour. There is not need to provide excise duty reliefs to producers of cars and two wheelers. The revenue should have been spent on improving infraastructure and public transport.
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Mr Sinha also pointed out that the Finance Minister made an announcement of loan waiver without a financing plan and working out details. Probably a government completing the last year of the term should not do such things. They should only announce programs that are properly developed and are implemented during their term of office.

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D. Raja
CPI

HT 1 March 08, page 14

The budget lacks long-term perspective. The direction of the economic reforms is the same, which could be dangerous.
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The direction implied is supporting big business. There is hardly any mention of achivements by government departments or public sector organizations in the budget. Do they not deserve recognition in the annual program statement of the government? Praise the big corporate business and criticize every other entity in the economy seems to be the motto of the government.
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L.K. Advani
BJP
HT 1 March 08, page 14

The waiver of farm loans has come too late. I am surprised at the heavy communal overtones of the budget.
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Mayawati
BSP

Mayawati criticized the union budget 2008-09 through advertisement.

National media seems to have ignored BSP leaders in its post budget papers. It seems as though politicians were sidelined and businessmen and stock market operators got the full coverage this time. Politicians have to take up the route of advertisements to communicate their view point.

NCP also advertised and talked favourably about the loan waiver scheme and the role of Sharad Pawar in getting it approved.
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Atul Kumar Anjan
HT, 1 March 2008, p 15.

Atul Kumar Anjaan is the national general secretary of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU). He is also a member of the National Commission on Farmers. He said provisions for agriculture in the budget are a mere eyewash. The loan waiver is the only silver lining. There is nothing in the budget that will take the agricultural growth ot four per cent.
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Sitaram Yechury
CPM MP
HT 1 March 2008, Page 15

The budget contains nothing to contain inflation...Neither has anything been done to strengthen public distribution system
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See the statement of CPIM on Budget 2008-09 on their site

http://www.cpim.org/

Inadequate allocation to education and health care are highlighted in the statment.

See the statements of L K Advani and Rajnath Singh on BJP website
http://www.bjp.org/