Congress, BJP spar over welfare, agriculture policies during Budget debate in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: Congress accused the government of paying lip-service on the welfare plans announced by it. It also called the government anti-farmer during the Budget debate in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, citing the cut in PM-Kisan allocation and refusal to legalise minimum support price. BJP launched a counter-attack, saying the Budget would have been higher had the TMC government in West Bengal shared the list of intended beneficiaries in the state.

Congress member Deepender Singh Hooda said the government has cut the Budget allocation for agriculture, education, minorities, the pension of defence personnel, and scientific research.

Unemployment figures, price of diesel and petrol today are the highest in the last 70 years while the rupee has fallen drastically and banks are in a mess, Hooda said, adding that the gap between the rich and the poor is increasing.


"There has been an increase of '13 lakh crore in the income of the 11 richest people in India while the agriculture budget has been decreased by 8.5%," Hooda said.

He raked up the issue of farmers protesting at Delhi borders, saying the "black" farm laws show the Narendra Modi government has brought legislations in the name of their welfare but they do not want it as it is against their interest.

He said the Hooda Committee, which had West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar as members, had suggested APMC reforms but their view was that the mandis need to be strengthened, their number should be increased and the private players should buy from mandis at a price higher than the minimum support price. "You talk about one nation, one flag; one nation, one constitution; one nation, one Pradhan (PM); one nation, one election. Then why when it comes to farmers, there are two mandis-for the private players and the government?" he said.