(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) The Indian National congress on Tuesday (July 23) criticized Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Union Budget 2024-25 presentation, dismissing it as a mere regurgitation of their own party manifesto. Former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram took to social media to express his dissatisfaction.
"I am glad to know that the Hon'ble FM has read the Congress Manifesto LS 2024 after the election results. I am happy she has virtually adopted the Employment-linked incentive (ELI) outlined on page 30 of the Congress Manifesto. I am also happy that she has introduced the Apprenticeship scheme along with an allowance to every apprentice spelt out on page 11 of the Congress Manifesto. I wish the FM had copied some other ideas in the Congress Manifesto. I shall shortly list the missed opportunities," Chidambaram said on X. He also pointed out the introduction of the Apprenticeship scheme, which mirrors ideas from page 11 of the Congress manifesto. Chidambaram hinted that there were missed opportunities in the budget and promised to list them soon.
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Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh also slammed the Modi government's approach, commenting, "After ten years of denial - where neither the non-biological PM nor his party's Lok Sabha Elections Manifesto would even mention jobs - the Union Government seems to have finally come around to tacitly admitting that mass unemployment is a national crisis that requires urgent attention. It's far too late, and as it turns out, far too little - the Budget speech is more focused on posturing than action."
Ramesh accused the budget of focusing more on posturing than on substantive measures, labelling it as "far too late and far too little."
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor highlighted several omissions, saying, "There was no mention of MNREGA or serious measures to improve the income of the bottom 40 percent of the population, whose income has declined. The budget inadequately addresses inequality."
MP Manickam Tagore echoed similar sentiments and said, "This Budget appears to have copied from the Congress manifesto. The Yuva Nidhi scheme, providing Rs 5,000 per apprentice, is a clear example of this. However, Andhra Pradesh's special category status has been denied, and the government's initiatives seem superficial."
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In response, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the budget's focus, asking, "While it's good that Bihar and Andhra Pradesh received special projects, what about Uttar Pradesh, which has produced prime ministers? Are there provisions to support farmers' incomes?"
MP Dimple Yadav added, "The government introduces schemes but fails to pursue them effectively. Women's safety concerns remain unaddressed, and there are no measures to control inflation or improve purchasing power in rural areas."
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