WEB DESK
The Lok Sabha today began discussion on the Interim Budget 2019-20. Initiating the discussion, Tathagata Satpathy of BJD accused the government of doing nothing for the farmer. He said the budget announcement of providing six thousand rupees annually to small farmers will not even help them to fill up diesel in their tractors.
On income tax exemption, Mr Satpathy said, people are aware that even if a taxpayer earns few rupees more than five lakh rupees then they have to pay taxes for the entire amount. He said the government is contradicting itself by providing reservation to the poor section of the general category by setting a limit of eight lakh rupees and thus bringing a taxpayer in the ambit.
Participating in the debate, Anurag Thakur of BJP said, the budget shows the NDA government’s clear intention and policy for creating a new India. Mr Thakur claimed the rate of development is higher under the BJP’s rule compared to 55 years of Congress rule while citing initiatives taken by the Narendra Modi government in the different sector including sanitation drive, optical fibre network penetration, roadways, Ayushman Bharat, airports development and electrification. He said now India is one of the top three start-up nations. He also said the government has taken many steps for ease of doing business besides tax reforms.
Attacking Congress, Mr Thakur questioned why duties of petrol and diesel are not reduced in the States where the Congress is ruling despite the Center’s decision in this regard. He also took a dig at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on sitting on dharna over CBI issue.
Supporting the Budget, T Venkatesh Babu of AIADMK accused the previous UPA government of not implementing M S Swaminathan report related on farmers’ issue. He said it is the NDA government which has taken some steps to implement it and raised the MSP on crops. Dushyant Chautala of INLD also spoke on the Budget. The discussion remained inconclusive
Earlier in the post-lunch session when the discussion started Congress, TMC and other parties members staged a walkout over Rafale aircraft issue. They were demanding to set of JPC probe in the deal.
When BJD member Mr Satpathy was speaking Congress member Gaurav Gogoi tried to show a placard which was objected by the Speaker. She said the members are representatives of the people and they must behave properly. In pre-lunch session also the opposition members created a ruckus in the House.