Gadchiroli Feb. 2 (District correspondent) The Union budget of 2023 has evoked mixed reactions in the district.
Prancheet Poreddiwar- Chairman of Gadchiroli district Central cooperative Bank Prancheet Poreddiwar has welcomed the Union budget saying it is quite good for the growth of the country. He appreciated the govt’s steps of boosting the credit cooperative societies hoping this will help in strengthening the economy in rural areas. The income tax slab in this budget is beneficial for the earning class that will raise the white money, Poreddiwar said. The agro -based activities proposed by the government has a good scope in agricultural development, he added.
Rohidas Raut –The Central Vice President of the All-India Republican Party, Rohidas Raut, has opposed this year’s budget by saying that reducing the provision on very important and basic matters related to the common people like education and health means cheating the poor and backward classes as well as people living in rural areas.
This is a budget that protects the interests of capitalists and ignores the welfare of farmers, backward classes, students. Raut has also asked how a country like India will progress due to such policies. No effective measures have been made in this budget to increase employment and income of common people nor to reduce the growing inflation, Raut has pointed out.
Mahendra Brahmanwade, District President of Congress Committee has sharply criticised this budget terming it a package of hollow announcements. Although the budget has been presented targeting the upcoming elections, no specific provisions have been made for the comman people. PM Modi had claimed to double the farmer’s income by 2022, but 3.25 lakh farmers have committed suicide since 2014 during the Modi government. Although tax concessions are given to some extent, it does not seem to achieve anything for the common people, poor people, farmers, he added. The government does not seem to have taken special measures to reduce the increased inflation, prices of essential commodities, Bramhanwade has reacted.
Ramdas Jarate, Shetkari Kamgar Party leader has said the MNREGA scheme, which is a means of employment for the common man in rural India, has been reduced by 30 percent. By reducing the fertilizer purchase subsidy by 20 percent, the Modi government has created a big dilemma for the farmers and it will affect the agricultural production and the farmers will be harmed. Therefore, the last budget of the second five-year term of the Modi government has become disappointing for the farmers, laborers and workers of the country.
It is unfortunate that the budget for education has been reduced from 2.64 percent to 2.5 percent. The provision on health also has been reduced. This shows the government is not interested in education of the children of the backward classes. Modi government is working for the capitalist and is not compatible with rural India.
Dr. Shilu Chimurkar, a social activist from Armori has positive views about the budget. The finance minister said that this is the first budget of the country’s golden era of independence. This is seen as an attempt to give financial strength to the youth and people of all classes. The appointment of 38 thousand 800 teachers in Eklavya School and the announcement of providing education to 3.50 lakh tribal students is a good thing. It envisaged special provisions for educational facilities and health facilities in remote and tribal areas. It was announced to set up 157 new nursing colleges. Such nursing colleges need to be established in tribal areas. Instead of doubling the income of corporate companies, efforts should be made to provide employment to the poor, tribals, unemployed people who are far from the mainstream, she has suggested.
