Budget eludes Maharashtra, despair for countrymen : Dy CM Ajit Pawar
Mumbai, Feb 1, 2020-Stating that Maharashtra was the main contributor for country’s treasury deputy chief minister and finance minister of the state Ajit Pawar on Saturday said that Maharashtra has disappeared from the Union Budget. Criticizing the Union Budget, he pointed out that the Union Finance Minister has not told many a thing in this budget speech and despite the fact that as per 2019-20 budget Maharashtra was supposed to receive Rs. 44672 from Union Budget the current budget is showing that Maharashtra would receive Rs. 36220 from the Central taxes which is less than Rs 8553 crores which is shocking and serious for Maharashtra.
Reacting to Union Budget Ajit Pawar added that the Budget provides 20 per cent share capital for Bangaluru transport but it hardly mentions Mumbai, Pune or Nagpur transport. He said that the budget announces bullion market for gift city of Gujarath but a question comes to mind is that whether all this is being done for bringing down importance of Mumbai and Maharashtra? This budget has sent a sense of despair to not only Maharashtrians but for all the citizens in the country.
Stating that the budget deficit at the start of this financial year was expected to be 3.4 per cent, Pawar has said that it has come down to 3.8 and growth rate of 10 per cent is kept as target with inflation rate which would result in growth rate of just less than 6 per cent which is a matter of concern.
Deputy chief minister Pawar added that economy of the country and growth rate is lowest in last six years and despite this the Union Government has claimed that farmers income would be doubled and milk production would be doubled by 2025 which is beyond anybody’s cognition. He said that when the Make in India and smart city scheme is a failure it is clear indication of privatization that Government has announced developing new smart cities on public private partnership model and disinvestment in IDBI as well as LIC.
On the backdrop of growing unemployment which is on a peak in the country and economic slowdown one expected of decisions which would attract foreign investors but there is no concrete measure in this regard in Union Budget. While the economy is on a decline due to decisions like demonetization and GST, it was expected that Budget would provide concrete steps so that money would be flowing t common people. On the contrary dividend distribution tax has been imposed on share holders which is wrong. Real estate sector is in trouble and there was a need to provide some respite which is not there in this budget.
The budget has lost opportunity to provide income tax relief for income of annual Rs. 8 lakhs and only welcome decision is providing security to deposits upto Rs. 5 lakhs of the banks which are in dark. This decision needs to be retrospective. Foreign investment in education is welcome decision but it should provide benefits to neglected and downtrodden sections of the society. Even though there is announcement of new education policy it should not give scope for any regressive thoughts.
With announcement of three model laws in the field of agriculture and marketing there is an effort to thrust agenda of Union Government on states. The announcements regarding farmers and statistics is jugglery with no concrete measure for doubling the income of farmers. There is complete neglect of social security in this budget and overall this budget shatters expectations of Maharashtra. Pawar said that this budget is rejecting opportunities to farmers, peasants, women, youth, students, traders, entrepreneurs, poor, downtrodden which is why the share market has fallen down after announcement of budget by 117 points.
