Budget Dupes Farmers: Surjewala Slams Govt

New Delhi, Feb 9 (PTI) The Union Budget has completely duped India's villages, farmers and the poor and deprived classes of society, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Participating in the debate on the Union Budget, he noted that the government has sacrificed the interests of farmers under the India-US trade deal.

"If we examine the Budget closely, it is clearly evident that it is against villages, poor, farmers and the deprived sections of the society," Surjewala said.

He noted that the prime focus of the Budget this year has been to cut provisions and outlays for the needy sections of society.

The Congress leader stated that in the last Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced several schemes like the Cotton Technology Mission, Mission for Pulses, Mission for Vegetables and Fruits, National Mission on Hybrid Seeds, Makhana Board and Namo Drone Didi.

He noted that the Cotton Technology Mission and Mission for Pulses received zero allocations in the last Budget and this year as well.

Similar treatment was meted out to other schemes as well, he added.

Surjewala noted that the Namo Drone Didi scheme was launched with a budget of Rs 676 crore.

"Of the Rs 676 crore, Rs 576 crore was held back and for 65 crore women in the country around 500 drones were distributed under the scheme," he said.

Surjewala said in the agri sector, the government failed to utilise around Rs 1.17 lakh crore in six years from 2018-19 to 2023-24.

"If we count till 2024-25, Rs 1.7 lakh crore has been surrendered," he said.

On the India-US trade deal, Surjewala said the government has sacrificed the rights of farmers.

He noted that the deal document showed that India has opened its market for agri produce from the US.

Besides, there is no clarity regarding the "additional products" listed in the document.


"Are milk, cheese, and foodgrain part of the trade? It is still not clear," Surjewala said.

The government has cut budgets for SC/STs, rural development, education and health, he added.

CPI-M member A A Rahim urged the government to stop contractualisation and also sought filling of government jobs at the earliest.

He also suggested laws for work-life balance and the right to disconnect.

Jaya Amitabh Bachchan of SP sought details on the amount allocated under the Budget for providing jobs to the unemployed.

She also pointed out the high tax burden on the entertainment industry.

BJP member Ghanshyam Tiwari said the Budget of the country is now Rs 53,47,315 crore, which was around Rs 17 lakh crore, when the Congress left power at Centre.

"They are alleging that the government has put interests of farmers at stake in the India-US deal, which was not right. Indian farmers will have access to the US market and some agri products as spices will attract zero duty," he said.

He further said by eliminating the Planning Commission, the Modi government has tried to eliminate inertia of the Indian economy. Now, the state government has more powers and autonomy regarding their growth.

Ashok Kumar Mittal of the AAP said the government says "our GDP is growing but common people are not getting any benefit from this". The average net income of an Indian is around USD 2,200-2,300 per year, which is even lower than countries such as Namibia, Libya, he said.

Terming the Rs 53.47 lakh crore Union Budget as "hollow from inside", Mittal said in this Rs 14 lakh crore will be spent in returning old interest rates. "And after removing pension liabilities, only Rs 35 lakh crore is left."

He further said foreign investors are pulling their money back. The total outflow by Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) has reached Rs 1.42 lakh crore. India's net foreign direct investment (FDI) experienced a dramatic decline to about USD 353 million.

Niran Bishi (BJD), M Dhanapal (AIADMK) and Meenakshi Jain (Nominated) also took part in the discussion.

Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo of J&K demanded a special package for the Union Territory to meet its demands. He also requested the railway minister to connect the Chenab Valley region in J&K, which has three districts -- Kishtwar, Doda, and Ramban.