Congress terms budget 2017 pro-corporate; BJP says it will remove inequality

MUMBAI: Opposition Congress in Maharashtra has termed the budget pro-corporate whereas the BJP has welcomed it as a step to remove inequality as visualised by dalit icon B R Ambedkar.

In his statement, state unit Congress president Ashok Chavan said the budget contains a slew of announcements for corporates and industry but has nothing for the common man affected by demonetisation policy.

"It was expected that budget proposals would include relief for farmers as well as small traders affected by demonetisation. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has let down the farmers by not announcing loan waiver for them," he said.

Stating the budget has no measure to address unemployment, Chavan said it has nothing to offer for Maharashtra.

"The budget announces AIIMS in Gujarat and Jharkhand but nothing for Maharashtra. There is no definite allocation for Mumbai suburban railway," he said.

NCP state unit president and former Finance Minister Sunil Tatkare said though the government made middle class and traders happy by slashing income tax rates but it has levied indirect taxes in the form of Excise, cess and surcharge.

"Jaitley says one crore people will be given homes by 2019. Earlier, the government had said it will provide affordable housing By 2022. The government should have given details on how many homes have been constructed in the last two years. The government has offered no relief for citizens affected by demonetisation. The government should have given loan waiver to farmers," he said.

Senior BJP leader and Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said, "I congratulate Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for focusing the four sectors- farmers, poor citizens, women and youth in the union budget. This budget has highlighted the government's perspective of welfare of farmers and the poor.

"The budget proposes many schemes from the Central Government such as making Rs 10 lakh credit for the farmers, milk revolution, doubling the income of the farmers, Rs 48,000 crore for MNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Centre for the youth and various schemes for the youth, Mahila Shakti Kendra, Health wellness centre, 'digi gaon' etc."

He said the Centre has simultaneously sought to make income tax procedure easy. "The budget has suggested radical reforms for bringing transparency in the political sector," the minister said.

In production sector, India has reached to the sixth position from the earlier ninth position, he added.

"This budget will surely help for making India free from inequality as visualised by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar," the minister said.