Budget 2019 India: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her maiden budget. (PIB)
Union Budget 2019-20: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today presented the first full budget for the year 2019-20. This was her maiden budget speech in which she put forth the action plan to achieve five trillion economy target by 2024. While the government said that the budget was for a new India, the opposition criticised it saying it lacked vision and was bereft of any reform. Former finance minister P Chidambaram termed the budget as ‘insipid’ and ‘disappointing’.
He said that the budget did not disclose the total expenditure or revenue. “It’s unfair and unethical not to disclose the number in the Parliament,” the Congress leader said. He also said that the budget was disappointing and the most disappointed person would be CEA KV Subramanian because he had advised a number of reforms but Nirmala Sitharaman had no reform to offer.
MoS for Finance Anurag Thakur on excise, cess on petrol and diesel increased by Rs 2 in Budget 2019: No tax on income below Rs 5 lakh, discount for middle class people on affordable housing, discount on electrical vehicles, from where will all that money come? It’ll have contributions from all of us.
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot: First Budget of NDA govt’s second term lacks direction. Its purpose is not clear and it is disappointing. There is no concrete plan or solution to accelerate the growth of the economy, to create jobs or to increase the flow of investment. Gaon, Gareeb and Kisaan are mentioned as mere slogans without any concrete schemes to deal with farm distress. No relief to the middle class or salaried class either. On top of it, raising fuel prices will put further burden on common people. No mention of agriculture in budget speech shows govt is not at all serious about improving conditions in the rural sector. The Finance Minister did not mention various budgetary allocations in her speech, which has been part of past budget speeches for the sake of clarity.
Budget for New India, as BJP proclaims has nothing new in it. Talk of PM’s vision is fine but it should have a roadmap to achieve that vision, which the budget totally lacks. Without clarity on the action plan, #Budget2019 seems hollow n fails to give hope to poor, labourers or farmers. Farmers should prosper, poor should lead a life of dignity, the middle class should get their due, but how? Govt failed to provide answers to improving conditions of various sections of society.
Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit on Budget 2019: “It was a disappointing budget – full of rhetoric and tokenism but devoid of substance. Being the capital of India, Delhi has not been getting its due over the last few budgets. #UnionBudget.”
Rajnath Singh on Budget 2019-20: India has successfully added one trillion dollars in its GDP in the past five years. Now, this Budget prepares the nation for a giant leap of doubling the size of India’s economy and making our country a five trillion dollar economy in the next five years. The Union Budget 2019-20 is not only farmer and industry-friendly it also addresses the concerns of youth, women, middle class, poor, and the common man. This Budget would expedite India’s forward march towards progress and prosperity.
The Budget has also paid special attention to strengthen healthcare and social care, employment generation and promote entrepreneurship among women. The Budget has announced several policies and programmes to support India’s farmers, agriculture & rural infrastructure. By assuring a pukka house and an LPG connection to every household by 2022 the Budget has reaffirmed the Prime Minister’s commitment to provide ease of living to common man and also realise the dream of ‘New India’.Inspired by the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas’ the Union Budget 2019-20 has not only outlined the vision for ‘New India’ but it is also focused on bringing a qualitative change in people’s lives.
Congress communication in charge Randeep Surjewala: Union Budget by Modi ji’s new govt is against people, youth, poor and farmers. The Finance Minister not even once mentioned about the plight of farmers. She didn’t mention about ‘how the income of farmers will be doubled?’ or ‘how employment will be generated?’
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said that the budget had nothing to offer to any section of the society, ignoring even critical sectors like Defence and making no allocation for the historic 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji.
Union Minister Pradhan said that a decadal vision for India touching every aspect right from infrastructure, digital economy, water management, health, space and government reforms will propel India towards a USD 5 trillion economy and beyond.
“The #NewIndiaBudget envisages to create infrastructure for rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and wastewater management to provide water security and access to safe and adequate drinking water to all Indians,” he said.
Reacting to the General Budget, BSP supremo Mayawati Friday said though the Union government tried to make it alluring, it would only help the capitalists. “It has to be seen as to how this Budget of theirs is actually beneficial for the people of the country at the ground level,” she said in a tweet, adding that the entire country was “distraught and harassed” by poverty, unemployment, poor educational and health facilities.
The BSP chief further said the Budget would “encourage the private sector and help big capitalists” at every level, further “complicating” the issue of reservation for the Dalits and backwards besides problems of inflation, poverty and unemployment.
P Chidambaram today said that Budget 2019-2020 is an insipid budget. In a statement, he said: Has there ever been a budget speech that does not disclose the total revenue, total expenditure, fiscal deficit, revenue deficit, additional revenue mobilisation or financial concessions. Has there ever been a budget speech that doesn’t disclose allocations to important programmes like MNREGA, mid-day scheme meals, healthcare etc and to vulnerable sections like SC, ST, minorities, women etc. We are shocked by this departure from usual practice.”
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien in a statement said that the budget was a nightmare for the common people who are suffering. He said the government is selling dreams, not delivering.
Budget 2019-20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the budget as the budget for building New India. In a statement after the presentation of the Annual Budget 2019-20 by the Finance Minister in the Parliament, the Prime Minister said that budget will strengthen the poor and will create a better future for the youth of the country. Highlighting the potential benefits of the budget, PM said that the budget will accelerate the pace of development in the country and will greatly benefit the middle class. “The budget will simplify the tax processand help in modernizing the infrastructure in the country,” PM said.
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