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नेशनल Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) CONDEMNS BUDGET

The National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) feels that the Union Budget presented by the Finance Minister today not only fails to address the concerns of the majority people of this country especially related to price rise but will trigger the existing serious situation. This Budget shows that the Central Government kept in mind only the interest of the Corporate sector that too at the cost of the “Aam Admi”. When the country is reeling under high price rise, the proposal on petrol and diesel will cause further rise in the prices. The rate of indirect tax proposed in the budget to address fiscal deficit will also aggravate the food price inflation. There is no mention on the question of universalization of PDS. Univeralisation will definitely be a relief to the people who are experiencing unprecedented price rise. Even though the Economic Survey points out that the agriculture productivity has gone down sharply, there is no attempt in the Budget to revive the situation. While welcoming the acknowledgement of the existence of women farmers in this country, NFIW strongly feel that the allocation for this section (100 cr) is very little to address their problems. While considering the existing grave situation of malnutrition, high maternal and infant mortality rates the allocation to NRHM and the overall allocation for health sector itself is inadequate. More surprisingly there is no mention about children below 6 years old, differently abled people, single women, women headed families or even Gender Budgeting When 94% of India’s work force is in unorganised sector, a 1000 cr Social Security Fund is nothing but ridiculing the workers.. Even though the Congress in its manifesto promised to bring an Urban Employment Guarantee Act there is no announcement in the Budget.

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CPI CONDEMNS THIS BUDGET

The Budget of 2010-11 as presented by Pranab Mukherjee is shocking. When the Parliament has discussed price rise only yesterday, the government itself admitting food price explosion is nearly 20 per cent, the Budget today imposed a duty of 5 per cent on crud petroleum, 7.5 per cent on diesel and petrol and 10 per cent on other refined products. As a result, the price of petrol and diesel will increase by nearly Rs. 3 per litre. Fertiliser prices are also set to go up. It will severely escalate further food prices due to increased cost of transportation. Communist Party of India strongly condemns this anti-people move.

While Mr. Mukherjee has admitted that agricultural growth is negative today obviously leading to decline in the availability of foodgrains, there has been so substantial increase in agriculture. To allot only Rs. 400 crores to extend the so-called green revolution to the eastern region of the country comprising Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Easter UP, West Bengal and Orissa is an act of absolute tokenism.

For enhancing the productivity of dry land farming areas only Rs. 300 crores have been provided for, when only 40 per cent of land is irrigated. Most shamefully government has increased the target of the flow of bank loan to agriculture by only Rs.50,000 crores for this year. The budget will not improve agricultural production or stem agricultural crisis.
For the upliftment of the minorities allocation has been increased by only Rs.860 crores. While there is no fund for augmenting the Public Distribution System, for stepping up flood control measures and expanding irrigation, government has given heavy concessions to the corporate houses. Only Rs. 1000 crores has been allotted in the name of social security to the unorganized labour. Therefore the Budget is anti-farmer, anti-people and pro rich and corporate. No wonder the Sensex has immediately jumped up by 300 points getting the right signal from the Budget.

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