Former Union Minister Kapil Sibal today said the Union Budget 2022-23 has no vision, nor a long-term plan, and does not address issues of poverty, unemployment, daily-wagers or social protection.

Participating in the resumed debate on the Budget in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress leader said the Government did not look at ground realities of the Indian economy. India’s unemployment rate was higher than several countries like China, Bangladesh, Pakistan or Sri Lanka.

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There was a loss of 9.8 million jobs in manufacturing, five million in hotel and tourism, four million in education and 1.8 million in services, he said. Surely, the Budget could not be made with just one or two per cent rich population of the country.

Sibal said there should have been sector-wise relief in the Budget. The Rs 1 lakh crore interest-free loan for States for capital expenditure was tied up with conditions, and many States would not like to accept them. Some States could be favoured in this, he said.

Replying to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s description of the Congress Party as being the “Tukde, Tukde gang,” the former Minister said those who destroy the country’s civilization, history, the Constitution and brotherhood in the country, are the real leaders of this “gang.”

He said the Government often talked of the “Amrit Kaal,” all he could see was that the country was passing through “Rahu Kaal” since 2014 when the Modi Government took over.

The Congress leader said India is a family. Like a mother who cares most for her weakest child, the Budget should have taken care of the poorest who cannot look after themselves.

Duties on petroleum products went up by 500 per cent during the Government’s tenure. Such steps affect people across the whole society. Even Aurangzeb had spared the poor and soldiers from Jazia tax on Hindus, he said.

The Government did not care for R & D in universities. How will the country add fresh wealth, he asked. Industry was given relief, but it did not create wealth, he said.

Rural India had only six to eight per cent connectivity, how would the provision of television channels bring education there, he said. The Government took no steps to improve the purchasing power of people. India’s per capita expenditure on health was $172, among the lowest in the world.

Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi (BJP) said the Modi Government’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis was better than even the most developed economies, while the Budget provided for jobs in higher capital expenditure.

The BJP leader said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget was 100 times better than the Congress-led UPA’s 2012-13 Budget. He said the Budget provided big capital expenditure for defence, railways, telecom and Metros.

The Government would raise big revenue from 5G auctions, he said, and there were plans to bring 6G also. Through DBT, Rs 21 lakh crores were distributed, forex reserves were among the highest and FDI flows stayed high, he said. Surveys showed that over 68 per cent people were satisfied with the Modi Government, he said.

Dola Sen (Trinamool Congress) said there was no assurance to job seekers, while MGNREGA allocation had gone down in the Budget. She said Make in India had become Sell India campaign. Growing inequalities were causing deaths of people.

Kanimozhi N V N Somu (DMK), making her maiden speech, said she is a doctor and wanted Covid handling must remain a priority for the Government. Expenditure on health must be six per cent of the GDP, she said. She said railways were a symbol of the nation’s unity but would discriminate between citizens on the basis of their economic status after privatization.