New Delhi, Feb 2 (Agency) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday described today’s budget as “anti-poor”, saying there is no ray of hope in this budget. “ Today, the Centre presented Union Budget for 2023-24. We have heard that it is an ‘Exceptional Budget’. But what is so exceptional about it? We have 3.7 crore unemployed youth in India. There was not a single word about unemployment and jobs. The handful jobs that we had has also been abolished, “ she said. “ The Central government has sold of everything. The Central government sectors have also been sold through independent investment, “ she added. “ Last year, the MGNREGA funds were reduced to some extent. But in this year’s Union Budget, the same has been slashed drastically.
Do not expect that they will employ people under the 100 Days’ Work Scheme. They have not even released the wages of these workers, “ Banerjee said. “ Is it not a criminal offence to withhold MGNREGA funds? As per the Constitution of India, it is obligatory to release the wages of the 100 Days’ Work Scheme. It is not optional, “ she added. “ Centre claims they have reduced the price of cooking gas. What is price of LPG cylinders now? You have to pay Rs 1,170 for one cylinder. They have hiked the price by Rs 70, but reduced a meagre Rs 4. Now they will ask for votes based on this. “ “ Are you getting the LPG cylinders under PM Ujjwala Yojana? Those who had received it prior to the elections, are you receiving the LPG cylinders now? NO. This Budget is not futuristic, rather, it is totally opportunistic. There is no ray of hope in this budget. Instead, there is only darkness. This is an anti-poor Budget, “ she averred.
“Poor will be deprived, while only one class of people will benefit from this Budget. Centre claims that they will create 81 lakh Self Help Groups across India. But let me tell them, SHGs are created by State and not Centre. When we came to power in Bengal, there were 1 lakh SHGs. Today, we have 11 lakh SHGs. Centre has conveniently included these figures in this year’s Budget. Where is the Centre’s credit here? “ she asked. “ What has the Centre done for the SHGs, Asha workers, ICDS workers, and farmers? Are they not ashamed? What have they done for the unemployed youth of our nation? What have done for the skyrocketing inflation in India? “ she further asked. “ In the Budget, food subsidy has been reduced. In the coming days, the poor will be suffering most. Bengal government, on the other hand, provides ration free of cost, “ Banerjee said.