There is all-round criticism against the Budget presented by the Union government on Tuesday, with the opposition parties lashing at the Centre for ‘lacking concern’. The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has denounced the Budget as ‘anti-worker’, ‘anti-people’ and termed it ‘destructive’ in nature. Akin to the Economic Survey presented a day before, the Budget reflected an insensitivity to the miseries in the form of huge loss of livelihood, loss of earnings and deepening impoverishment, its members said. Chittoor district secretary Kandharapu Murali accused the State of liberally showering concessions on corporate masters, even while turning a blind eye to their tax evasion and habitual defaulting nature. He appealed to the public to join the two-day nationwide general strike on March 28 and 29 against the anti-people regime.Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee(APCC) Minorities Cell State vice-president Pathan Mohammad Ali Khan termed the Budget as rolling out the red carpet for the corporate giants, even while meting out a raw deal to the common man.“In the name of digital services, the government is out to serve the rich and affluent,” he said, flaying the Centre for not making suitable allocations for the States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
‘Bifurcation promises ignored’
INTUC Chittoor district Convener P. Naveen Kumar Reddy flayed the Budget for ignoring the bifurcation-eve promises made to Andhra Pradesh and said it would harm the beleaguered state further. He also flayed the policy being brought out on the power sector and termed it a lurking danger. All India Insurance Employees Association (AIIEA) General Secretary (Kadapa division) A. Raghunatha Reddy said the Budget lacked concern for the middle classes, as it focussed more on reducing the surcharge on corporate tax from 12% to 7%, but remaining mum on income tax limit sought by the employees.