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The Congress said Arun Jaitley has presented a bad case as a good advocate in Parliament. "This is a just a vision budget, which will not be implemented now. Jaitley has indirectly taken a development holiday. It is an election budget, corporate budget aimed at the rich. Nothing is given for poor," said Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.
He said schemes like MGNREGA is going to be finished with no new allocations. He termed the proposed law on black money as farce. "Where's the black money. Making sound is no replacement for action," he added.
He said the Centre has enough money by not reducing the oil prices, but Jaitley is not ready to pass on the benefits to poor.
Congress leader Veerappa Moily: “It’s a corporate-friendly budget. Abolition of wealth tax and reduction in corporate tax shows that they have helped corporates. Also, it is intellectually dishonest. At least the Railway Minister was honest to admit that there was a Plan holiday last year. The Finance Minister did not mention that. Considering that they have full majority, there is no investment roadmap, which shows they are not serious about reforms.”
Roads Minister Nitin Gadkari: “From 4.5 per ent GDP growth during UPA rule, we are moving towards 8 per cent growth. I am confident that India will soon do better than the Chinese economy. Also, it is the first Budget that indicates strong political will to get back black money into the country. I give 100 per cent marks for this Budget.”
Shashi Tharoor (former UPA Minister): “Good sound bytes, good ideas but thin on on-ground implementation provisions. It is definitely, not an aam aadmi Budget but a corporate-friendly one.”
Mohd Salim (Deputy leader CPI(M), Lok Sabha): “The Budget speech was addressed to the aam aadmi, but all its provisions are for the benefit of the wealthy. For 20 years we have been hearing that the poor will gain from the trickle down effect of benefits for the rich, but that is not happening on the ground. As far as MGNREGA is concerned, accounting for inflation and unpaid wages, Rs 5000 crore is, in fact, a reduction. And, why was the Budget silent on smart cities?”
Smriti Irani (HRD Minister): “An all-encompassing and revolutionary Budget. The huge push to manufacturing, and steps to bring back black money are historic moves.”
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