Lok Sabha Debates
Combined Discussion On The Budget (General) 2014-15 And Demands For Excess ... on 16 July, 2014
Sixteenth Loksabha > Title: Combined discussion on the Budget (General) 2014-15 and Demands for Excess Grants No. 13, 21, 24, 31 and 100 in respect of Budget (General) 2011-12 (Discussion not concluded).
HON. SPEAKER: The House will now take up Item nos. 12 and 13 together.
“That the respective excess sums not exceeding the amounts shown in the third column of the Order Paper be granted to the President of India, out of the Consolidated Fund of India, to make good the excess on the respective grants during the year ended on the 31st day of March, 2012, in respect of the heads of Demands entered in the second column thereof against Demand Nos. 13, 21, 24, 31 and 100.” Demands for Excess Grants (General) for 2011-2012 sumitted to the Vote of the Lok Sabha No. and Name of Demand Amount of Demand submitted to the Vote of the House 1 2 3 4 Revenue(Rs.) Capital(Rs.) 13 Department of Posts 400,03,82,246 ........21
Defence Pensions 3568,81,46,182 .........24
Defence Services – Air Force 567,90,83,321 .........31
Ministry of External Affairs ......
7,23,26294 100 Lakshadweep 1,43,67,211 ........
Total 4538,19,78,960 7,23,26,294 HON. SPEAKER: Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia to initiate the discussion.
श्री ज्योतिरादित्य माधवराव सिंधिया(गुना) : माननीय अध्यक्ष जी, मैं सर्वप्रथम आपको धन्यवाद अर्पित करना चाहता हूं कि आपने इस सरकार के पहले बजट पर चर्चा करने के लिए मुझे मौका दिया। यह बजट एनडीए सरकार और अरुण जेटली जी का पहला बजट है। मैं उनको शुभकामनाएं देना चाहता हूं। किसी भी वित्त मंत्री का कार्य आसान नहीं होता। सभी को खुश रखना और देश की आर्थिक प्रगति को सही रास्ता दिखाने का काम आसान नहीं होता। लेकिन पिछले एक वर्ष से हम सुन रहे थे कि यह बीजेपी सरकार चमत्कार लाएगी। किसी तरीके से महंगाई को कम किया जाएगा, बड़े-बड़े परिवर्तन लाए जाएंगे और हमने इस एक वर्ष की समयावधि में नारों का एक भंडार सुना- अच्छे दिन आने वाले हैं या अच्छे दिन आ चुके हैं। ...(व्यवधान)पॉवर्टी एलीविएशन नहीं लेकिन पॉवर्टी एलीमिनेशन पर हम ध्यान देंगे। सबका साथ, सबका विकास। एक भारत, श्रेष्ठ भारत। हर हाथ को हुनर और इन नारों से लोगों की आशाएं बढ़ीं लेकिन इस बजट ने लोगों की आशाओं को चूर-चूर करके छोड़ दिया।
बजट केवल एक फाइनेंशियल स्टेटमेंट नहीं होता। बजट एक विज़न स्टेटमेंट भी होता है खासकर पहला बजट कि पांच साल में देश की आर्थिक स्थिति क्या होगी?जन-जन की आशा और अभिलाषा इस बजट के साथ जुड़ी हुई होती है चाहे वह गरीब व्यक्ति हो चाहे वह किसान हो चाहे वह नौजवान हो, चाहे वह एक बुनकर हो या देश का हर इंसान हो। एक शिल्पकारक के रूप में जिस तरह से एक शिल्पकार एक मूर्त पत्थर में संजीवनी बूटी की तरह एक नयी जान पूंक देता है, या एक आत्मा निर्णय लेती है कि हृदय किस दिशा में धड़केगा?यह बजट का दायित्व होता है। इस बजट में हमें कोई दिशा नहीं दिखी, कोई मानचित्र नहीं दिखा। भाजपा हर बार कहती है कि हम पूरे बहुमत में आए हैं। पूरे बहुमत में आए हैं, जो वास्तविकता है। देश की जो आशा और अभिलाषा है कि साहसिक कदम लिए जाएंगे, जनकल्याणकारी कदम लिए जाएंगे। इस बजट को देखें, लक्ष्य निर्धारित किया गया है कि स्टेडी स्टेट में देश की आर्थिक प्रगति सात से आठ प्रतिशत घरेलू उत्पादन की दर तक सीमित रहेगी। यूपीए ने दस साल के कार्यकाल में से पांच वर्ष में नौ प्रतिशत घरेलू उत्पादन की दर पर प्रगति दिलाई जिसके आधार पर देश आगे बढ़ पाया। उसी आधार पर 11वीं पंचवर्षीय योजना को देखें तो आठ प्रतिशत घरेलू उत्पादन की दर में वृद्धि आई जो अपने आप में एक नया कीर्तिमान है। महंगाई का सामना कैसे किया जाएगा, कोई विश्लेषण नहीं, टैक्स जीडीपी रेश्यो को कैसे बढ़ाएंगे, कोई विश्लेषण नहीं, सामाजिक क्षेत्र और कृषि क्षेत्र को बढ़ोत्तरी कैसे दी जाएगी, कोई विश्लेषण नहीं। वित्त मंत्री जी ने जरूर इस बजट में विश्व की आर्थिक स्थिति का सही जायजा लिया है, इराक क्राइसिस से तेल के दाम पर प्रैशर बढ़ेगा। महंगाई का मुद्दा है, सूखे की आशंका है, इमर्जिंग इकोनॉमी आसपास के क्षेत्र में स्लो डाउन महसूस कर रही है। देश की आर्थिक शक्ति यूनाइटेड स्टेट्स भी हैड विन्स का सामना कर रही है। विश्व की स्थिति मजबूत नहीं है लेकिन पिछले दो साल से ज्यादा मजबूत आज बन चुकी है। मैं वित्त मंत्री जी को धन्यवाद देना चाहता हूं कि उन्होंने माना कि यूपीए सरकार का बजट सही रास्ते पर चल रहा था और उसे पूर्ण रूप से उन्होंने अपनाया, इस बात का मैं उन्हें धन्यवाद देता हूं।
It is said that imitation is the best form of flattery and we accept this compliment with great exuberance. Our revenue targets have been accepted and they have even been raised to about 18 per cent. Our fiscal deficit roadmap of 4.6 per cent this year, 4.1 per cent of fiscal deficit for the next year, 3.6 per cent of fiscal deficit the year after and three per cent eventually have also been accepted. Our revenue deficit target of 2.9 per cent has been accepted. केवल यही नहीं केवल यूपीए सरकार की जितनी योजनाएं थी, उन सभी योजनाओं को स्वीकृत करके इस बजट ने सम्मिलित किया है, इसके लिए हम उन्हें धन्यवाद देते हैं। कई महीने पूर्व हम नारा सुन रहे थे कि हम चाहते हैं कि कांग्रेस मुक्त भारत हो लेकिन इस पहले बजट स्टेटमेंट में भारत के लिए एनडीए सरकार ने एक कांग्रेस युक्त बजट प्रस्तुत किया है। पिछले कई दिनों से संसद में सुन रहे हैं, एक शब्द का बहुत उपयोग किया जा रहा है, विरासत। यूपीए ने देश को महंगाई दी, यूपीए ने देश को भ्रष्टाचार दिया, शायद मेरे सहभागी और दोस्त भूल गए हैं कि वे अब विपक्ष में नहीं बैठे हैं बल्कि सत्ता पक्ष में बैठे हैं। देश को आगे चलाने की जिम्मेदारी उनकी है। मैं वित्त मंत्री जी को धन्यवाद देता हूं कि उनका रुख सकारात्मक रहता है। मैं यह अपेक्षा करता हूं कि उनके सहभागी भी उनके पद चिह्नों पर चलने की कोशिश करेंगे। हम यह आदत नहीं रख सकते, जैसा कि मेरे दोस्त गौरव गोगोई ने तीन दिन पहले कहा था कि वाहन चालक ड्राइवर सीट पर बैठा हो तो वह ड्राइवर रियर व्यू मिरर में देखकर गाड़ी चलाए लेकिन खुदा न करे कि कोई हादसा हो जाए। देश को आगे चलाना होगा, देश को आगे बढ़ाना होगा, गरीब का उत्थान कराना होगा। अब रही विरासत की बात, इसके लिए मैं कुछ आंकड़े आपके सामने पेश करना चाहता हूं। वर्ष2004में जब हम पहली बार सरकार में आए तो देश का घरेलू उत्पादन जीडीपी500बिलियन डॉलर था। आज दस साल बाद देश का जीडीपी दो ट्रिलियन डालर है, यूपीए की कल्याणकारी योजनाओं के तहत भारत आज विश्व की तीसरी शक्ति बन गया है। घरेलू उत्पादन की दर को हम देखें, एनडीए की सरकार के समय में छः साल में जीडीपी ग्रोथ रेट5.7प्रतिशत रही थी। हमारे दस साल के कार्यकाल में डेकेडल ग्रोथ रेट 7.7प्रतिशत रही, जो देश के इतिहास में पहली बार हुआ है। इसी जीडीपी ग्रोथ रेट के आधार पर पब्लिक एक्सपेंडिचर बढ़ा, इसी जीडीपी ग्रोथ रेट के आधार पर अधोसंरचना में राशि डलवाई, इसी ग्रोथ रेट के आधार पर पिछले तीन सालों में शिक्षा और स्वास्थ्य के क्षेत्र में 150 प्रतिशत वृद्धि बजट के आबंटन में हुई और इसी जीडीपी ग्रोथ रेट के आधार पर जो हमारी सोच है, एक फेडरलिज्म के आधार पर राज्यों को भी मिलना चाहिए।The Central allocation to States has grown to about Rs. 1 lakh crore, which is not a favour. But we believe that it is the duty of the Government to give it to the States. अगर हम किसी भी सरकार का मूल्यांकन करें, तो सबसे महत्वपूर्ण बात यह होती है कि गरीबों का उत्थान हो पाया है या नहीं और यूपीए के कार्यकाल में चाहे आप रंगराजन पैनल को देखें, तेंदुलकर पैनल को देखें, दोनों सहमत हैं कि करीब-करीब साढ़े नौ करोड़ लोगों को यूपीए की सरकार ने गरीबी की रेखा के ऊपर उभारा है। यह देश टापू की तरह प्रगति नहीं कर पायेगा। अगर हम इस देश में असली प्रगति चाहते हैं तो वह प्रगति एक समुद्र के रूप को धारण करके ही हो पायेगी।
महोदया, यदि हम पावर जनरेशन के क्षेत्र को देखें तो 2004 में हमारे देश में1लाख 13 हजार मेगावाट की क्षमता थी। आज दस साल बाद2लाख 44 हजार मेगावाट की क्षमता हमारे देश में है, जो दो गुना हो चुकी है। पिछले दो साल में अकेले बीस-बीस हजार मेगावाट हमने एड किया है।
प्रधान मंत्री ग्रामीण सड़क योजना जो वाजपेयी जी की एक बहुत महत्वकांक्षी योजना थी और उसे यूपीए सरकार ने बढ़ौतरी दी और दस साल के अंदर3लाख 90 हजार किलोमीटर प्रधान मंत्री ग्रामीण सड़क योजना पूरे देश में बनी।
हमारा देश कृषि प्रधान देश है, यहां किसानों का विकास, किसानों की प्रगति होना अनिवार्य है। कृषि के क्षेत्र में कृषि की दर में2004में हमें विरासत में क्या मिला, माइनस 3.1 परसैन्ट कृषि की विकास की दर मिली और इस साल जब आप सरकार में आए हैं, कृषि की विकास की दर जो यूपीए की सरकार आपके लिए छोड़कर गई, वह 4.7 प्रतिशत कृषि की दर में विकास हुआ। अगर हम उत्पादन को देखें, अनाजों का उत्पादन 265मिलियन टन हुआ, जो इस देश का कीर्तिमान है। ऑयल सीड्स का उत्पादन 32मिलियन टन, दाल का उत्पादन, जिसका हम आयात करते हैं, आपके समय में 11मिलियन टन होता था, इस साल 20 मिलियन टन का उत्पादन करके एक कीर्तिमान बनाकर हमने आपको दिया है। यूपीए सरकार की प्रगति और विकास की असली विरासत एक समुद्र की तरह देश को आगे ले जाने की है।
अब मैं विषयों पर चर्चा करना चाहूंगा। आज देश के सामने सबसे अहम मुद्दा महंगाई का है। हमें इस बजट में महंगाई का कोई जिक्र देखने को नहीं मिला। देश के प्रधान मंत्री ने राष्ट्रपति के अभिभाषण में चर्चा की थी और मैं उन्हें कोट करना चाहता हूं-“हमने महंगाई को दूर करने का वायदा किया है और हम इस पर प्रामाणिकता से प्रयास करने के लिए प्रतिबद्ध हैं और यह इसलिए नहीं कि केवल चुनावी वायदा था, इसलिए करना है, यह हमारी सोच है कि गरीब के घर में शाम को चूल्हा जलना चाहिए। गरीब के बेटे आंसू पीकर सो जाएं, इस स्थिति में बदलाव आना चाहिए। उत्तरदायित्व है कि हिंदुस्तान का कोई गरीब भूखा न रहे।” महोदया, असलियत क्या है, रेल के भाड़े में चंद दिनों में ही 14 प्रतिशत वृद्धि इस सरकार ने करके दी और वह भी संसद के बाहर।जब रेल बजट आने वाला था। सन् 2012 में जब हमारे सहभागी दिनेश त्रिवेदी जी ने भाड़ा बढ़ाने का एक निर्णय लिया था, उस समय नरेंद्र मोदी जी ने मनमोहन सिंह जी की आलोचना की थी कि संसद के बाहर यह कदम क्यों उठाया गया है। आपने सरकार में आने के चंद दिनों में ही वही कदम उठाया है और संसद के बाहर इसकी अवहेलना है। पैट्रोल और डीज़ल के दाम दो बार बढ़ाए गए हैं। कहा जाता है कि हम क्या करें, यह तो यूपीए की नीति रही है, यह तो यूपीए की विरासत है। क्या आप सरकार में आए हैं, हमारी हर नीति को प्रमाणिकता से स्वीकार करने के लिए, क्या इसलिए जनता ने वह निर्णय लिया। अगर आप कहते हैं कि आप जो भी निर्णय लेते हैं, उसको हम प्रमाणिकता से स्वीकार करेंगे तो प्रश्न यह है कि गैस की प्राइसिंग के मुद्दे पर तो आपने अंकुश लगा दिया, लेकिन पैट्रोल और डीज़ल के दाम बढ़ाने पर आपने अंकुश नहीं लगाया। चीनी का दाम दो रूपये बढ़ चुका है, प्याज़ का दाम14रूपये से 40रूपये प्रति किलो बढ़ चुका है, आलू का दाम 27 रूपये प्रति किलो, टमाटर का दाम 60 रूपये प्रति किलो, भिंडी का दाम 40 रूपये प्रति किलो बढ़ चुका है। मंडी में सब्ज़ी इतनी मंहगी नहीं है। ...(व्यवधान)अब आप थोड़ा सुनने की आदत रखिए ...(व्यवधान)हमने भी दस साल सुना था। ...(व्यवधान)मंडी में सब्ज़ी इतनी मंहगी नहीं है, जितनी गली के नुक्कड़ पर है। ...(व्यवधान)मंडी और घर के बीच सब्ज़ियों के दामों में दो-तीन गुना का फर्क है। ...(व्यवधान)I am not yielding. ...(व्यवधान)
माननीय अध्यक्ष: माननीय सदस्य आप ऐसा न करें।
…( व्यवधान)
श्री ज्योतिरादित्य माधवराव सिंधिया : अध्यक्षमहोदया, रियर व्यू ड्राइविंग के लिए बहुत उत्सुकता है। ...(व्यवधान)सूखे की आशंका को देख कर जमाखोरों ने अभी से खेल शुरू कर दिया है। इनसे निपटने के लिए सरकार की क्या सोच है? अपने मैनिफैस्टों में इन्होंने लिखा था कि हम स्पेशल स्क्वाड्स बनाएंगे। जमाखारों और ब्लैमार्केटर्स को अरेस्ट करेंगे। मैं प्रश्न पूछना चाहता हूँ कि कितने जमाखोरों और ब्लैकमार्केटर्स को अरेस्ट किया गया है?
अध्यक्ष महोदया, सच्चाई यह है कि प्याज़ का एक उदाहरण हम ले लें तो पूरे देश के प्याज़ को 12 से 15होलसेलर्स का कार्टेल कंट्रोल करते हैं। जिनको तोड़ने की जिम्मेदारी इस सरकार की होनी चाहिए। मुझे इस बात की खुशी है कि खाद्य मंत्रीरामविलास पासवान जी ने खाद्य सुरक्षा योजना को तीन महीने के अंदर लागू करने के निर्देश दिए हैं। ये योजना सोनिया गांधी जी और यूपीए सरकार की थी, ताकि इस देश में कोई भी असहाय या गरीब व्यक्ति भूखा न सो पाए। खाद्य मंत्री के काफ्रेंस में यह भी कहा गया कि मंहगाई की तो महज़ शुरूआत है। जुलाई से दिसंबर मंहगाई का सबसे क्रिटिकल पीरियड होता है। इसलिए दिसंबर तक ये दाम बढ़ते जाएंगे। अगर हम एक लक्ष्य और एक ध्यान बजट में दें कि कौन सी वस्तुं सस्ती हो चुकी हैं - पैट्रोकैमिकल्स, यर्न, कंप्यूटर, सॉफ्ट ड्रिंक, टी.वी. और कौन-सी वस्तुं मंहगी हो चुकी हैं - आम आदमी की भाजी, दाल और आम आदमी की चीनी। इस बजट में लोग चाहते थे कि आय की एग्ज़ेम्शन लिमिट 2 लाख से बढ़ा कर 5 लाख हो जाए। लेकिन वित्त मंत्री जी ने ढाई लाख तक बढ़ाया है। 50 हज़ार एग्ज़ेम्शन लिमिट बढ़ाया है। इससे लाभ जरूर मिला है कि हर गृहस्थी को 416 रूपये प्रति माह की बचत हो पाई है। लेकिन जहां हर परिवार को 416 रूपये प्रति माह की बचत हो पाई है, वहीं महंगाई के आधार पर 1200 रूपये प्रतिमाह का भार हर परिवार का बढ़ चुका है तो जो आपने एक हाथ से दिया, उसका तीन गुना ज्यादा दूसरे हाथ से आपने ले लिया।...(व्यवधान)प्राइस स्टैबलाइजेशन फंड के लिए पांच सौ करोड़ रूपये का आबंटन दिया गया है। जब हमें मालूम है कि किसी भी एक बड़े शहर के एक भी एग्रो मार्केट, कृषि के मार्केट को हम लें, तो एपीएमसी के जरिये कम से कम हजार करोड़ के ट्रंजैक्शंस होते हैं, यह तो समुन्द्र में मात्र एक बूंद के समान है। वित्त मंत्री जी ने बयान दिया था कि देश की जनता को चिन्ता करने की जरूरत नहीं है क्योंकि एफसीआई के गोडाउन में हमारे पास पर्याप्त अनाज है। जी हां, गेहूं का स्टॉक34मिलियन टन है, चावल का स्टॉक28मिलियन टन है और यही यूपीए की विरासत इस सरकार के लिए है।
महोदया, हमें इस बात की खुशी है कि जीएसटी की घोषणा की गयी, मगर कोई समय सीमा तय नहीं हुई है। इस बात की भी हमें बड़ी खुशी है कि जीएसटी पर वर्तमान के प्रधानमंत्री जी ने गुजरात के पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री के विरोधाभास की पूरी समाप्ति कर दी है। वर्ष 2004में जीएसटी का सिलसिला शुरू हुआ था और सुशील मोदी जी, बिहार के उपमुख्यमंत्री इसके पूरे समर्थन में थे, पर दस साल आपने विरोध किया। जबकि हम मानते हैं कि जीएसटी और डीटीसी इस देश की इस समय की आवाज है। एक सिंगल मार्केट तय करना, डूंग बिजनेस इन इंडिया को आसान करवाना, नो टैक्स ऑन टैक्स की नीति लाना, यह आज समय की पुकार है। इंश्योरेंस के सेक्टर में आपने एफडीआई बढ़ाया26प्रतिशत से 49प्रतिशत तक। हमारे पूर्व वित्त मंत्री चिदम्बरम जी ने एनडीए के नेताओं के साथ सहमति बनाने की बहुत कोशिश की, लेकिन सहमति बन नहीं पायी। नरेन्द्र मोदी जी ने दिसम्बर,2000में ट्वीट किया था, जब हम इंश्योरेंस में एफडीआई 49प्रतिशत तक लाना चाहते थे। मैं उन्हें कोट कर रहा हूं- भारत को कांग्रेस पार्टी विदेशियों को बेच रही है, हमें इसका पुरजोर विरोध करना होगा।
महोदया, अब आप देखिये कि कैसे रंग बदलते हैं? रेलवे के मामले में बड़ी-बड़ी अच्छी घोषणाएं की गयीं कि फूड कोर्ट स्थापित किया जायेगा, पैकेज्ड फूड दिया जायेगा, वाई-फाई दिया जायेगा, ऑफिस इन ट्रेन दिया जायेगा। क्या हम यह जानते हैं, क्या हमें यह आभास है कि रेल पर जो व्यक्ति यात्रा करता है, दो करोड़ तीस लाख हमारी जनता, उसमें से एक करोड़ 80लाख लोग गरीब की श्रेणी में आते हैं, उन्हें पैकेज्ड फूड से क्या लेना-देना, ब्रांडेड वाई-फाई से क्या लेना देना, ऑफिस से क्या लेना देना? बुलेट ट्रेन की घोषणा की गयी, 60 हजार करोड़ रूपये की महत्वाकांक्षी योजना और केवल100करोड़ रूपये का आबंटन बजट के अन्दर। यह कैसी योजना है, इसकी इकोनॉमिक फिजिबल्टी है या नहीं, अन्तिम क्षेत्र में जब यह क्रियान्वयन होगा, भाड़ा कम से कम 8 से10हजार रूपये प्रति टिकट होगा, वह व्यक्ति प्लेन से जाये या ट्रेन से जाये। जबकि वर्तमान में सबसे ज्यादा प्रामाणिकता और मांग है ट्रैक माडर्नाइजेशन और सेफ्टी के लिए। इतने प्रस्ताव लम्बित हैं और उन प्रस्तावों के साथ आपने एक और प्रस्ताव जोड़ दिया।
महोदया, कृषि के क्षेत्र में बजट के आबंटन में वृद्धि नहीं की गयी है। आज सूखे की आशंका है। यूपीए सरकार ने रोजगार गारन्टी योजना की शुरूआत की थी, जो विश्व की सबसे बड़ी कल्याणकारी रोजगार की योजना आज बन चुकी है। उसके बजट के आबंटन में केवल 500 करोड़ रूपये अधिक दिया गया।...(व्यवधान)साहसी कदम की जरूरत है।...(व्यवधान)
महोदया, साहसी कदम उठाने की जरूरत है। साहसी कदम जैसे कि यूपीए के समय में किसानों की ऋण माफी योजना,72हजार करोड़ रूपये की ऋण माफी योजना यूपीए सरकार ने किसानों के लिए बनाकर दी थी।...(व्यवधान)कृषि की साख की बात की गयी।...(व्यवधान)गणेश सिंह जी, आपको बोलने का मौका मिलेगा।...(व्यवधान)घोटाला हुआ आपकी मध्य प्रदेश की सरकार के अफसरों के द्वारा, यह भी मैं आपको बता दूं,...(व्यवधान)मेरा मुंह मत खुलवाइयेगा, नहीं तो उसके ऊपर भी मैं शुरू हो जाऊंगा कि किस तरीके से आपके यहां नेता और अफसरों ने पैसा बनाया है रोजगार गारन्टी योजना के आधार पर।...(व्यवधान)गलत मस्टर रोल बनाए हैं, वहाँ के नेता और मंत्री करोड़पति बन चुके हैं। आपके सांसदों को वहाँ रोज़गार गारंटी योजना के नाम पर वहाँ लिखा गया है, मेरा मुँह मत खुलवाइएगा कृपा करके। ...(व्यवधान)आप चाहते हैं कि मैं नाम लूँ, मैं जानता हूँ।
कृषि के क्षेत्र में कृषि के साथ की बढ़ोतरी का कदम वित्त मंत्री जी ने उठाया है जो सराहनीय है।7लाख करोड़ रुपये से बढ़ाकर 8लाख करोड़ रुपये किया है। लेकिन मैं यह कहना चाहता हूँ इसकी शुरूआत यूपीए सरकार ने की थी जब 2010 में3लाख करोड़ कृषि का साथ था और चार साल के अंदर हमने उसे 150 प्रतिशत नहीं, 300 प्रतिशत बढ़ाकर 7 लाख करोड़ बनाकर हमारे देश के किसानों को दिया।
मैनुफैक्चरिंग सैक्टर की वृद्धि बहुत महत्वपूर्ण है। मैनुफैक्चरिंग सैक्टर के आधार पर रोज़गार के अवसर उत्पन्न हो पाते हैं। मैनुफैक्चरिंग सैक्टर चाहता था, कॉर्पोरेट जगत चाहता था कि रैट्रोस्पैक्टिव टैक्सेशन के विषय पर वित्त मंत्री जी अपना निर्णय लें पर उन्होंने आश्वासन दिया कि भविष्य में ऐसी सोच नहीं रखी जाएगीexcept in exceptional circumstances, जहाँ रैट्रोस्पैक्टिव टैक्सेशन पर यह निर्णय इस सरकार ने लिया, वहीं दूसरी तरफ डैट इनवैस्टर्स के लिए होल्डिंग पीरियड 12 महीने से 36 महीने तक बढ़ाया गया और जो निवेशकारी अपना डैट फंड 1अप्रैल, 2014 के बाद डिसइनवैस्ट करेगा, उसे शॉर्ट टर्म कैपिटल गेन30प्रतिशत पर देना पड़ेगा और लाँग टर्म कैपिटल गेन की श्रेणी में अगर वह आएगा तो उसे 10 प्रतिशत टैक्स नहीं, 20प्रतिशत टैक्स देना होगा जो एक तरीके से दूसरे तरीके का रिट्रोस्पैक्टिव टैक्स हो गया, क्योंकि जिस व्यक्ति ने दो-तीन साल पहलेनिवेश किया था, उसे यह मालूम नहीं था कि वे नियम बदले जाएँगे। मैं वित्त मंत्री जी से विनम्रतापूर्वक अनुरोध करना चाहूँगा कि इस नियम को बदला जाए और रिट्रॉस्पैक्टिव टैक्स इस क्षेत्र में न लाया जाए।
अध्यक्ष महोदया, बहुत दिनों से हम ‘मिनिमम गवर्नमैंट, मैक्सिमम गवर्नैन्स’ का नारा सुन रहे हैं। ...(व्यवधान)गलत बिल्कुल भी नहीं है। One does not necessarily follow the other. Governance requires capacity. That capacity has to be created and in order to be able to create that capacity, you need to devote a lot of resources. कई दिनों से हम भ्रष्टाचार के मुद्दे पर चर्चा सुन रहे थे कि काला धन मिटाना होगा। राष्ट्रपति के अभिभाषण पर धन्यवाद प्रस्ताव के दौरान प्रधान मंत्री जी ने कहा कि भारत का एक पर्सैप्शन दुनिया में बन पड़ा है, हमारी पहचान बन गई है‘स्कैम इंडिया’ की। ज़रूर इसमें परिवर्तन लाना चाहिए। तो आज मैं सरकार से पूछना चाहता हूँ कि जब ....* तो क्या उनके विरुद्ध कार्रवाई होगी या नहीं होगी, इसका उत्तर उनको देना होगा, क्योंकि अगर हम अपना घर साफ न रखें तो फिर देश कैसे साफ हो पाएगा? ...(व्यवधान)यह वास्तविकता है, इस वास्तविकता से आप हट नहीं पाएँगे। ...(व्यवधान) अध्यक्ष महोदया, कई योजनाओं की घोषणा इस बजट में की गई। आज देश को आउट ऑफ द बॉक्स सॉल्यूशन्स की ज़रूरत है। ...(व्यवधान)
माननीय अध्यक्ष: प्लीज़। मैं देख लूँगी क्या बोला है। प्लीज़, कोई एलीगेशन नहीं, प्लीज़।
…( व्यवधान)
श्री ज्योतिरादित्य माधवराव सिंधिया : महोदया, इस सरकार का नारा था ‘सबका साथ, सबका विकास।’ ...(व्यवधान)भारत एक गुलदस्ता है जिसकी महक निकलती है क्योंकि इसकी अनेकता में एकता का मुद्दा होता है।…( व्यवधान) लेकिन अल्पसंख्यकों के लिए इस बजट में केवल 61 शब्दों का प्रयोग किया गया और केवल सौ करोड़ रुपये का आबंटन किया गया, क्या यह अन्याय नहीं है...(व्यवधान)
SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY (SARAN): Madam, I am on a point of order.
HON. SPEAKER: Under which rule? He has not made any allegation. I will see to it, if there is any allegation.
… (Interruptions)
श्री ज्योतिरादित्य माधवराव सिंधिया:महोदया, यदि हम लक्ष्य की पूर्ति की बात करें।...(व्यवधान)सरकार के कई महत्वपूर्ण लक्ष्य निर्धारित हुए हैं।...(व्यवधान)विनिवेश में इन्होंने65हजार करोड़ रुपये का टारगेट रखा है...(व्यवधान)
माननीय अध्यक्ष:किस रूल के तहत है? आप रूल बताइए।
…( व्यवधान)
माननीय अध्यक्ष: आप लोग बैठ जाइए, वह बोल रहे हैं। क्या आप सभी एक ही रूल पर बोल रहे हैं?
…( व्यवधान)
SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY : Under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, 15th Edition, 2014, on Page 134, Procedure regarding allegation against any person, Rule 353 specifically states:
“No allegation of a defamatory or incriminatory nature shall be made by a member against any person unless the member has given adequate advance notice to the Speaker and also to the Minister concerned so that the Minister may be able to make an investigation into the matter for the purpose of a reply:” … (Interruptions)
HON. SPEAKER: Why all of you are speaking?
… (Interruptions)
SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY : There was no prior notice to take the name of our hon. Member, Mr. Giriraj ji here. … (Interruptions) Because there was no prior notice, so this has to be taken into account. He has to withdraw that statement. He has to immediately withdraw that statement because there was no prior intimation.… (Interruptions) I want your ruling on the subject, Madam. इस पर आपका मन्तव्य चाहिए। इस पर आपका नियमन होना चाहिए।...(व्यवधान)
माननीय अध्यक्ष:मेरा इतना ही कहना है, जहां तक मैंने सुना है, उन्होंने कोई एलीगेशन नहीं लगाया है।
…( व्यवधान)
श्री राजीव प्रताप रूडी : इसको कार्यवाही से बाहर करना चाहिए और यह प्रोसीडिंग में नहीं जाना चाहिए।...(व्यवधान)
माननीय अध्यक्ष:आप लोग मेरी बात सुनिए। यदि किसी ने कुछ बोला है तो सुनने की ताकत भी रखिए।
…( व्यवधान)
माननीय अध्यक्ष:मुझे बोलने दीजिए या आप यहां बैठ कर रूलिंग दे दीजिए।
…( व्यवधान)
श्री राजीव प्रताप रूडी : महोदया, मुझे पूरे रूल को पढ़ने दिया जाए।...(व्यवधान)महोदया, इस तरह से हाउस नहीं चल पाएगा।...(व्यवधान)
माननीय अध्यक्ष:ठीक है, आप पढ़िए।
…( व्यवधान)
माननीय अध्यक्ष:रंजीता जी, आप बैठ जाइए।
…( व्यवधान)
HON. SPEAKER: Nothing will go on record.
(Interruptions) …* श्री राजीव प्रताप रूडी : महोदया, मेरी बात सुन लीजिए।...(व्यवधान)मेरा वाक्य कम्पलीट होने दीजिए।...(व्यवधान)देश सुन रहा है, मेरी बात जा रही है, आप मेरा वाक्य कम्पलीट होने दीजिए, उसके बाद आपका जो भी नियमन होगा, उसे हम स्वीकार करेंगे।...(व्यवधान)
माननीय अध्यक्ष:ठीक है, आप बोलिए।
SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY :
“Provided that the Speaker may at any time prohibit any member from making any such allegation if the Speaker is of opinion that such allegation is derogatory to the dignity of the House or that no public interest is served by making such allegation.” Madam, it is an absolute allegation. It is an allegation against a sitting Member of Parliament and it should be withdrawn and the hon. Member should tender an apology immediately.… (Interruptions)
माननीय अध्यक्ष: मेरा इतना ही कहना है, मैं भी सुन रही थी, कोई एलीगेशन नहीं लगाया गया है...(व्यवधान)आप लोग तालियां मत बजाइए। यदि किसी बात का उल्लेख किया गया है तो मैं तुंत इसको देखूंगी और उसके बाद उसे निकाल दूंगी।
…( व्यवधान)
श्री ज्योतिरादित्य माधवराव सिंधिया:अध्यक्ष महोदया, अब मैं लक्ष्य की पूर्ति की चर्चा करना चाहूंगा। सरकार ने कई महत्वकांक्षी लक्ष्य निर्धारित किए हैं। आय स्रोत के क्षेत्र में65 हजार करोड़ रुपये विनिवेश के क्षेत्र से, जो कि 145 प्रतिशत की वृद्धि होगी। सर्विस टैक्स की वृद्धि 31 प्रतिशत, टैक्स रेवेन्यू की वृद्धि 18 प्रतिशत, कस्टम डय़ूटी की वृद्धि17 प्रतिशत जो पिछले वर्ष केवल6 प्रतिशत थी और इसके आधार पर फिस्कल डेफिसिटी आने वाले वर्ष में 4.1 प्रतिशत तक सीमित रहेगा।
माननीय अध्यक्ष:आप सभी से एक और निवेदन है कि जहां तक संभव हो, हम किसी का नाम लेने से बचें तो ज्यादा अच्छा रहेगा। इस बात को सब लोग ध्यान में रखें।
श्री ज्योतिरादित्य माधवराव सिंधिया : अध्यक्ष महोदया, दो या तीन कारण हैं जिसके कारण यह संभव नहीं हो पाएगा।
महोदया, किसी भी देश की वित्तीय स्थिति टैक्स बॉयन्सी के आधार पर चलती है। भारत की टैक्स बॉयन्सी वर्तमान में, जब जीडीपी एक प्रतिशत से बढ़ती है तब टैक्स रेवेन्यू एक प्रतिशत से कम बढ़ता है। इस बजट में जो अजम्पसंस रखी गयी हैं, उसमें रखा गया है कि टैक्स रेवेन्यू ग्रोथ18औ होगा लेकिन जीडीपी ग्रोथ रेट नॉमिनल 13.5औ होगी। यह जो एक गैप है, इसे हम ब्रोच नहीं कर पाएंगे। यह रेट निवेश के आधार पर होता है। वह निवेश या तो पब्लिक इंवेस्टमेंट के आधार पर होता है या प्राइवेट इंवेस्टमेंट के आधार पर होता है। पब्लिक इंवेस्टमेंट के क्षेत्र में दो लाख पचास हजार करोड़ रुपये का टारगेट रखा है ताकि हम इंवेस्टमेंट साइकिल को बढ़ा पाएं। पर पिछले वर्ष दो लाख साठ हजार करोड़ रुपये का निवेश हुआ था, मतलब दस हजार करोड़ रुपये ज्यादा और तब 5औ का ग्रोथ टारगेट हम लोग मीट कर पाए थे। प्राइवेट सेक्टर को केवल आठ महीने मिले हैं और ज्यादा करके डीपीआर और फिजिबिलिटी ही इस समय में हो पाएंगे। अगर पब्लिक और प्राइवेट सेक्टर के इंवेस्टमेंट में बढ़ोतरी नहीं होगी तो हम जीडीपी ग्रोथ रेट का वह टारगेट मीट नहीं कर पाएंगे। इसके परिणामस्वरूप एक लो-ग्रोथ का वातावरण होगा। शॉर्टफॉल में रेवेन्यूज और सब्सिडी बढ़ेगी क्योंकि सूखे की भी आशंका है और सब्सिडी बढ़नी चाहिए। फिस्कल डेफिसिट 5औ से कम नहीं रह पाएगा और महंगाई का मुद्दा भी हमारे गरीबों के लिए सबसे महत्वपूर्ण है।
अध्यक्ष महोदया, आपके द्वारा हम विश्वास दिलाना चाहते हैं कि अगर जनहित का कोई भी प्रस्ताव यह सरकार ले कर आएगी तो हम उसका पूरा समर्थन करेंगे। लेकिन अगर कोई भी जनविरोधी नीति या जनता के ऊपर कठिनाई लाने का कोई प्रस्ताव यह सरकार लाएगी तो उसका पुरज़ोर विरोध, इस प्रजातंत्र के मन्दिर में, यूपीए और कांग्रेस पार्टी करेगी।
आज भारत का हर इन्सान चाहता है कि भारत की प्रगति और विकास में वह अपना योगदान दे पाए। हमारी संभावनाएं अपार हैं। भारत की क्षमता है कि एक नक्षत्र के रूप में हम लोग उभर सकते हैं लेकिन यह देश एक टापू की तरह प्रगति नहीं कर पाएगा, एक समुद्र की तरह प्रगति करना होगा जिसमें हर व्यक्ति को लगे कि उसका भी एक योगदान है।
माननीय अध्यक्ष:ज्योतिरादित्य जी, प्लीज़, मैं आप को बीच में थोड़ा टोक रही हूं। More than half an hour, उस से भी करीब-करीब ज्यादा समय आपका हो गया है। अभी आपकी पार्टी के और भी सदस्य हैं।
श्री ज्योतिरादित्य माधवराव सिंधिया : महोदया, मैं कनक्लूड कर रहा हूं।
सपनों को पिरोना आसान होता है, आशाओं को जगाना आसान होता है, मगर उसे साकार करना मुश्किल होता है। यह इस सरकार की सबसे बड़ी चुनौती होगी।Leadership is the art of the impossible but managing the political economy is the art of only the possible.
हज़ारों ख्वाहिशें ऐसीं कि हर ख्वाहिश पे दम निकले बहुत निकले मेरे अरमां, लेकिन फिर भी कम निकले।
SHRI JAYANT SINHA (HAZARIBAGH): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to present our thinking on the Budget. I am deeply honoured and grateful to our able Prime Minister, our hon. Finance Minister and our hon. Parliamentary Affairs Minister for giving me this opportunity to speak on behalf of the Budget. I am also very honoured and grateful to the people of Hazaribagh and the people of India for giving me this opportunity to serve the nation. In that regard, I think, that this Budget is a landmark Budget in providing a new direction and a new hope for the economy and the people of India.
The hon. Member of the Opposition has stated that this Budget lacks direction, lacks an economic philosophy and I must say that his understanding of Parliamentary procedure and his understanding of economics is demonstrated by both the statements that he made in Parliament and on economic philosophy. We confronted a very difficult set of economic circumstances when we rose to present the Budget. The Budget was presented in 45 days. The Budget had to take into account some very daunting economic challenges that we had to analyse and that we had to address fully. We also had to prepare the economy to be able to reach a sustainable growth trajectory of 8 to 10 per cent a year. That is what the people of India need, demand and we must deliver for them. We also had to address the concerns of our business people and investors in India and around the world.
These were the economic circumstances that we had to deal with. I would implore the hon. Members of this House and I would implore the business community to understand that we have tried to do in the Budget is not to play a T-20 game. This is not a T-20 game. Maybe the hon. Member in the Opposition thinks that we can solve all the problems that we have inherited a few short months. It does not work like that. The economy is a battleship. It is an aircraft carrier. It takes a long time to turnaround the challenges and problems that we have inherited. This is not a T-20 match. This is not even a one-day match. This is a five-day test match and the game has just begun; I must say that this is before Lunch on the first day and we are doing extremely well so far.
Another very important point to remember in terms of context is that one-third of the fiscal year is already over. Many of the allocations that you are seeing in the Budget represent allocations taking into account of the fact that one-third of the year is over. It takes time to get the Government machinery working and, therefore, this is a prudent and sensible allocation of funds to many of these proposals.
The hon. Member from the Opposition presented many facts. I will say about statistics is that what they can reveal is very interesting but what they conceal is vital. So, what did he conceal in his speech to us, to the hon. Members here in this House? What he concealed was that they inherited an economy in very good shape, in rude good health, which was when the NDA departed in 2004. What did they leave in return? What did they leave for the people of India when they departed? Those are the facts that he has not presented. They left an economy which today, among the major economies in the world, is doing the most poorly. GDP growth rate has plunged below five per cent, which is the worst economic performance in 25 years; two years of consecutive below five per cent growth. For an economy like India which is in a demographic sweet spot, to have that kind of a growth rate is just scandalous. I think, he has to take the responsibility for that. It is shameful that he has not revealed that. In addition to that, he spoke about inflation, he spoke about mehangai and he talked about prices. Does he know that for the last five years, consumer inflation, that which affects the most vulnerable aspects of our population, has been running at eight to ten per cent a year, which is higher than in any other major economy in the world? That is truly shameful. What are we talking about when the hon. Member of the Opposition presents his facts? He has to take the responsibility for that. That inflation is hurting the most vulnerable people of our population. He talked about inclusion, and yet this was what they did for the people of India. I am truly embarrassed with that they have done in terms of their economic performance, and particularly due to entrenched inflation, inflation that has been running for five years. But what is the reality is that if you look at inflationary spikes, what happens to fruits and vegetables in the fallow period of the year, July to September, when we are between two crops? This is the time when we see price spikes in a way that is completely intolerable for the people of India. We had a situation where the price of onions got to Rs.80, Rs.100 a kilo. On the other hand as we have managed these price spikes, we have kept through a series of aggressive and decisive actions, the price at Rs.25, Rs.30 a kilo. This is what ache din mean. This is the decisive action that is required in the economy. This is what they gave us. I cannot imagine how he can present that with any degree of pride and justification in what they have done. This is what we are managing.
In addition to that, let us also recognize what the UPA did in terms of their monetary and fiscal policies. We ended up in a situation where there were negative real interest rates. People lost confidence in investing in India and in putting their money in the banks. Domestic savings rates dropped from 33 per cent to 30 per cent. People were hedging their savings through gold. Gold imports spiked up leading to a Current Account deficit of 4. 7 per cent, and the value of dollar went up to Rs.68, Rs.70. People completely lost confidence in India and as a result of that we had that crisis of confidence, a crisis among the population of India that refused to invest, a crisis among both domestic and foreign business that refused to invest in India.
Due to that crisis of confidence, the hon. Members of the opposition are sitting where they are, that is the reason why your numbers are what they are. It is because the people of India lost confidence in your economic management. Madam Speaker, that is what we have restored with this Budget.
13.00 hrs I have been in conversations with business people – domestic and foreign; and I have been in conversations with investors – domestic and foreign; and I can tell you that our first and primary objective in this Budget has been amply achieved, and that is to restore confidence in the Government of India, and in the economic management of the Government of India. We have achieved that.
HON. SPEAKER: Mr. Jayant Sinha, you can continue your speech after the lunch.
Now, the House stands adjourned to meet again at 2 p.m. 13.0 ½ hrs The Lok Sabha then adjourned till Fourteen of the Clock.
HON. CHAIRPERSON : Shri Jayant Sinha is to continue the discussion on the General Budget.
SHRI JAYANT SINHA (HAZARIBAGH): Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, Sir. I will continue my speech from before lunch.
I wish the hon. Member from the Opposition was here because he leveled certain charges against us and I would now like to answer fully and also present the Budget roadmap that is included in the Budget specifically on two important points. One is jobs and the other is the investment cycle. Both of them are essential and vital for the growth of the economy.
The hon. Member from the Opposition charged us with not having an economic philosophy.
उन्होंने कहा है कि हमारी कोई आर्थिक विचारधारा नहीं है। मैं उन्हें पूरी तरह से आश्वासन देना चाहता हूं कि हमारी एक विचारधारा है, जो उनकी विचारधारा से बिल्कुल अलग है। उनकी विचारधारा क्या है? जैसा कि हमारे आदरणीय वित्त मंत्री जी ने कहा है कि उनकी विचारधारा है -माइन्डलेस पॉपुलिज्म, क्योंकि इन्होंने मनरेगा की बात की है। आज जिन विशेषज्ञों ने मनरेगा की जांच की है, वे आपको बताएंगे कि जो लिकेज मनरेगा से हो रहा है, जो फार्म लोन वेभर इन लोगों ने किया है, इन लोगों की जो माइन्डलेस पॉपुलिज्म है उससे फिसकल डेफिसिट बढ़ गई है और इसके द्वारा जो 40 प्रतिशत लिकेज हो रही है, उसे हम लोग माइन्डलेस पॉपुलिज्म कह सकते हैं। हम लोग इसे और क्या कह सकते हैं? वे विचारधारा की बातें करते हैं और हम पर आरोप लगाते हैं कि हमारी कोई विचारधारा नहीं है।
इसका एक और प्रमाण मैं आपको देना चाहता हूं। One more really tragic example of their mindless populism, वह क्या है? इन्होंने बहुत बोल कर, इसके बहुत grandiose statement pronouncement कर केइन लोगों ने ‘आधार’की बात की। इन्होंने डायरेक्ट बेनिफिट ट्रंसफर की बात की है। इनके पास पांच साल का समय था, पर ‘आधार’का क्या हुआ?न उसका बिल पास हुआ और न ही उसका इम्पलिमैंटेशन हुआ। यह उनकी कौन-सी गेम चेंजिंग योजना थी? यह तो माइन्डलेस पॉपुलिज्म था जिसका इम्पलिमैंटेशन तक नहीं हुआ है। हम लोगों की जो विचारधारा है, मैं उसका संक्षेप में विवरण देना चाहता हूं। हमारी विचारधारा बिल्कुल अलग है। हमारी जो विचारधारा है, आपका जो socialist statist worldview है, कांग्रेस, यू.पी.ए. सरकार की जो socialist statist worldview है, आज के जमाने में यह इतिहास के कूड़ेखाने में है। जिसको डस्टबीन ऑफ हिस्ट्री कहते हैं। It is in the dustbin of history that you, with your NAC, have completely implemented in India and saddled us with that. That is the worldview and the philosophy you have.
हमारी क्या विचारधारा है? मैं आपको संक्षेप में समझाना चाहता हूं। हमारी विचारधारा है कि हम जनता को साधन दें। हम जनता को साधन देंगे, खोखले अधिकार नहीं देंगे। इन साधानों के द्वारा आप अपने संघर्ष से, अपनी मेहनत से, अपना विकास करिएगा, अपनी संपत्ति बढ़ाइएगा, अपने परिवार को समृद्ध बनाइएगा, यह हमारी विचारधारा है। अगर, आप इस बजट को देखेंगे तो बजट से आपको एकदम स्पष्ट नजर आएगा कि हम लोगों ने इसमें इस विचारधाराका पूरी तरह से इम्पलिमैंटेशन किया है। क्योंकिwe have gone to investment-led growth, Mr. Chairman, Sir, from consumption-led inflation, mindless populism like NREGA and the farm loan waiver, which has just stoked inflation. As I alluded to earlier, we have entrenched inflation of 8-10 per cent a year, which is not easy to deal with. You speak to economic experts. This is what they will tell you. Instead of that consumption-led inflation, we are going to build the productive capacity of our people, of the economy and we are going to pursue investment-led growth and that is what is shown clearly in the Budget, and let me now detail that with some specificity.
I want to be very clear that the people of India—and they have demonstrated that in this election—do not want dole. The people of India want jobs; the people of India do not want empty rights that do not mean anything; the people of India want concrete opportunities so that they can improve their lives; the people of India do not want to stay poor; the people of India aspire to prosperous and dignified lives. That is what we have tried to do in this Budget.
I will touch on some important points of this Budget that I want to explain in some detail. The first and most important aspect of it is the macro economic stabilisation that we have sought to achieve through this Budget. The other is jobs and growth for the economy. Let me speak first about macro economic stabilisation. अगर आपकी नींव की ईंट हिल रही है, अगर आपकी नींव ही स्थायी नहीं है तो आप निर्माण क्या करेंगे। अगर आपका मैक्रो इकोनॉमिक स्टेबिलाइजेशन नहीं हुआ तब इकोनॉमी कहीं नहीं जा सकती है। मैक्रो इकोनॉमिक स्टेबिलाइजेशन हमने किस प्रकार किया। आपका जो माइंडलैस पौपुलिज़्म था, उसमें जो सब्सिडीज़ थीं, they peaked at 2.5 per cent of GDP. It was unproductive; it was consumption-led; and it was not adding to productive capacity. Capital expenditures in the economy dropped sharply. Defence expenditure dropped sharply. As a result of subsidies, fiscal deficits had spiked. Now, how did you take control of the fiscal deficits you did it by compressing expenditure, not by growth? The quality of the fiscal consolidation roadmap, that our hon. Finance Minister has presented, as the rating agencies are starting to discover, is far better than the Budgets presented by the UPA in the last two years. It is the quality of fiscal consolidation what I would like to draw your attention to. We have said that we will go to 4.1 per cent, 3.6 per cent and 3 per cent of fiscal deficit as a per cent of the GDP and that is what is reassuring investors and business people that we have matters well in hand.
In addition to that, as macro economic stabilisation is an important matter, the Finance Minister has clearly said that we will work with the RBI on a new monetary policy framework that will better anchor inflationary expectations. It is because what we are dealing with right now is inflationary expectations that are embedded in the economy of 8 to 10 per cent. So, I am sure, you perhaps have not paid much attention to this statement in the Budget. It is a profoundly important statement. Again I would urge all the hon. Members to pay attention to the statement in the Budget where it says that we will work on a new monetary policy framework and for macro economic stabilisation. This is extremely important.
Now, the hon. Member of the Opposition asked about the Budget mathematics. He asked about the 4.1 per cent fiscal deficit number that we have proposed. If he were to study the number carefully – and it is clear that he has not done his home work because he, of course, flouted parliamentary protocol in what he said as part of his speech – the numbers are laid out there for all of us to see.
What is the difference between UPA’s Budget arithmetic and the NDA’s Budget arithmetic? The difference, as I said earlier, is the restoration of macro economic stabilisation and the confidence in the economy. We have already seen a tremendous inflow of FII capital into this country because there is a confidence in the economic management of this Government. We have seen tremendous interest in FDI flows. I can assure you, as I have spoken to foreign investors and they have said that they are just waiting to keep on putting more money into this economy because they see this is one of the great opportunities in the world right now. So, the fundamental difference is due to the asset sales and the capital flows that we are likely to see both from domestic investors and foreign investors. What we will see is growth accelerating from 5.4 per cent to 5.9 per cent, as laid out in the Budget, unlike the sub five per cent growth that we have seen so far. It is this growth, coupled with the asset sales – all of which is laid out in the Budget – that is going to enable us to deliver high quality fiscal consolidation.
I urge the hon. Member to look at the arithmetic and understand what the difference is. It is this growth; it is these asset sales that will enable us to meet the fiscal consolidation numbers. I can tell you that today if you go to speak to the investment bankers, if you speak to business people, they will tell you that their phone is ringing off the hook with people interested in making investments. I will also tell you that during the UPA times, private sector investment had dropped from 13 per cent of GDP to 9 per cent of GDP because there was no confidence in your economic management.
Now, let us turn from macro economic stabilisation to jobs. आदरणीय सदस्यों को मालूम ही है कि जब भी हम अपने क्षेत्र में जाते हैं और जनता के साथ बातचीत करते हैं तो वे दो मुद्दों के बारे में हमेशा बात करते हैं। अभी मैं हजारीबाग से लौटा हूं। जब मैं हजारीबाग गया, तो वहां की जनता ने मेरे पास आकर कहा कि आप लोगों ने तो महंगाई में कमाल कर दिया। जैसे मैंने पहले आपको बताया था कि प्याज का भाव जो 80-100 रुपये था, वह आज 25-30 रुपये में है। लोग इसके लिए हमें बधाई देकर कह रहे थे कि आप लोगों ने बहुत अच्छा इन सबको संभाला है। हमारे आदरणीय प्रधान मंत्री जी, वित्त मंत्री जी और राम विलास पासवान जी, सब लोग इसमें लगे रहे। महंगाई पर हम जो काबू लाये, उससे लोग बहुत प्रसन्न हैं। साथ-साथ सब लोग कहते हैं कि आप रोजगार दिलवाइये, नौकरी दिलवाइये। हमारे जो बच्चे हैं, युवा हैं, वे बेकार हो रहे हैं। इसलिए मैं इस बजट में आप लोगों का ध्यान रोजगार और जॉब्स पर देना चाहता हूं। मैं आप लोगों को बताऊंगा कि किस प्रकार से हम लोगों ने इस बजट में रोजगार के लिए बहुत ही अहम, अच्छे मुद्दे और अच्छी योजनाएं लाए हैं।
पहली बात तो मैं हाउसिंग के बारे में जिक्र करूंगा। आपको मालूम है कि इस समय हाउसिंग पर जो इंटरस्ट है, उस पर आपको डेढ़ लाख रुपये की राहत मिलती है। आदरणीय वित्त मंत्री जी ने कई सालों के बाद इसे बढ़ाकर डेढ़ लाख रुपये से दो लाख रुपये कर दी है, इससे हाउसिंग को बहुत अच्छा बूस्ट मिलेगा, एनकरेजमैंट मिलेगा तथा और अधिक घर बनेंगे। आपको मालूम है कि कंस्ट्रक्शन बहुत जॉब्स इंटेंसिव है। इसमें जॉब्स होंगे। इसमें इकोनॉमी की multiplier रिफ्लेक्ट होगी। मैं वित्त मंत्री जी को बहुत बधाई देना चाहता हूं कि इन्होंने इसे इस तरीके से बढ़ाया।
दूसरी बात टूरिज्म है। आपको मालूम है कि टूरिज्म लेबर इंटेंसिव है। टूरिज्म में हॉस्पिटेलिटी होती है, गाइड्स होते हैं, कंस्ट्रक्शन होता है। हम लोगों ने टूरिज्म पर बहुत ध्यान दिया है। पांच टूरिज्म सर्किट्स होंगी। आपको इलैक्ट्रानिक वीजा 13 एयरपोर्ट्स पर मिलेगा। यह क्यों नहीं यूपीए सरकार कर सकती थी? हम लोगों ने किया, क्योंकि हम लोग ध्यान देते हैं, हम जनता के हित में काम करते हैं। टूरिज्म पर हम लोगों ने ध्यान दिया। फिर मैनुफैक्चरिंग--मैनुफैक्चरिंग पर जैसे आदरणीय वित्त मंत्री जी ने कहा, यह भी बहुत लेबर इंटेंसिव है। आप इस समय इलैक्ट्रानिक्स मैनुफेक्चरिंग को देखिये। हम लोग सब चाइना से ला रहे हैं। हमारे सब इलैक्ट्रानिक्स आइटम चाहे टीवी हो, कम्प्यूटर हो या स्मार्ट फोन हो, यह सब चीन से आ रहा है। हमारा100बिलियन डालर्स का इम्पोर्ट है, जो हमारे ऑयल बिल के मुकाबले का हो गया है। हम इतना इम्पोर्ट कर रहे हैं। मैनुफैक्चरिंग में यूपीए ने क्या किया? कुछ नहीं किया। हम लोग मैनुफैक्चरिंग पर ध्यान दे रहे हैं, क्योंकि यह लेबर इंटेंसिव है। इससे कारखाने खुलेंगे, एसईजेड्स बनेंगे, इन्वेस्टमैंट एलाउंस दिया जायेगा। इलैक्ट्रानिक्स का जो इन्वर्टेड डय़ूटी स्ट्रक्चर है, उसे ठीक किया गया है, इन्वेस्टमैंट एलाउंस दिया गया है। ये सब जो मेजर्स हैं, इसके द्वारा मैनुफैक्चरिंग का विकास होगा, जॉब्स आयेंगे और इसके द्वारा हमारी जो आर्थिक व्यवस्था है, उसे इससे बहुत लाभ मिलेगा।
तीसरा अहम मुद्दा cities का है। शायद आप लोगों ने इस पर फिर ध्यान न दिया हो। हमारे ऑपोजिशन के जो आदरणीय सदस्य हैं, उनको मैं कहूंगा कि आप जरा ध्यान दें। चाहे हम लोग चुनावी अभियान के दौरान, चाहे प्रेजीडैंट एड्रैस में, चाहे बजट में हमने लगातार एक बात का जिक्र किया है कि हम लोग 100स्मार्ट सिटीज का निर्माण करेंगे। स्मार्ट सिटीज में क्या होगा?स्मार्ट सिटीज में बहुत कुछ होगा। सॉलिड वेस्ट मैनेजमैंट होगा, डिजिटाइजेशन होगा, ड्रिंकिंग वाटर एंड सेनीटेशन होगा, कंस्ट्रक्शन ऑफ रोड्स वगैरह होंगे। ये सब बहुत जॉब क्रिएटिंग है। इन सबके द्वारा रोजगार होगा। इसलिए7हजार करोड़ रुपये जो स्मार्ट सिटीज के लिए दिये गये हैं, इसके द्वारा भी बहुत रोजगार मिलेगा। इस कारण मुझे बिल्कुल विश्वास और भरोसा है कि अभी तक जो जॉबलैस ग्रोथ हुई है, यूपीए सरकार की दस साल की जो जॉबलैस ग्रोथ हुई हैं, ये बहुत ज्यादा बढ़ती चली जायेगी। खासकर आप लोग देखिये, हम लोगों की विरासत की बात हो रही थी। हर साल 1 करोड़ लोग हिन्दुस्तान में जॉब्स ढूंढ़ते हैं। लेकिन पिछले5-10सालों में ये जॉब्स ग्रोथ हुआ ही नहीं है। आप सोचिए,what is the backlog that has built up in jobs in India? When you have 10 million to 12 million people searching for jobs and maybe a million or two are getting the jobs in the last five or ten years, we have 50 million to 100 million people who have not found jobs. All of us, who travel in our cities and villages, know what it is like. सब जगह जाइये, बेचारे बेकार लड़के आपको मिलेंगे, जिनके पास नौकरी नहीं है। जो आपके पास आकर बोलते हैं कि सर, निवेदन करता हूं कि नौकरी लगा दीजिए। यह बैकलॉग है, यही तो विरासत है जिसे हमें संभालना पड़ रहा है। आप लोगों ने जॉब्स क्रिएट नहीं किये। अब इतने सारे लोग हैं, जिनके लिए पहले हमको जॉब्स ढूंढ़ना है और आगे जाकर हमें और जॉब्स क्रिएट करना है तब आप सोचिए कि जॉब्स की कितनी बड़ी चैलेंज है, क्या चुनौती है, जो आप लोगों ने हमें इस प्रकार से सौंपी है।
वित्त मंत्री जी ने पूरे तरीके से अपने बजट भाषण में इसका विवरण दिया है कि कंस्ट्रक्शन, मैन्युफैक्चरिंग, तथा स्मार्ट सिटीज़ जिसका मैंने जिक्र किया, वहाँ से जॉब्स तो आएंगे, पर साथ-साथ खेती-बाड़ी में, एग्रीकल्चरल सेक्टर में भी हम लोग बहुत ध्यान दे रहे हैं। प्रधानमंत्री ग्राम सड़क योजना, हमारे आदरणीय श्री अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी जी की ये योजना थी। आज के समय अगर आप इकोनॉमिक एक्सपर्ट्स के पास जाइए, तो वे बताएंगे और मैं कह रहा था कि हमारी विचारधारा क्या है? हमने अधिकार नहीं, प्रधानमंत्री ग्राम सड़क योजना के द्वारा साधन दिया है। अधिकार नहीं, साधन दिया। उसके द्वारा क्या हुआ? आज के समय में यदि आप विशेषज्ञों से पूछिए, तो वे कहेंगे कि if there was one single measure that has increased rural prosperity in India, it is the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). क्योंकि हमने हर गांव को शहर से जोड़ दिया है जिसके द्वारा मंडी तक हमारे किसान अपने उत्पादन को पहुंचा सकते हैं। यदि कोई बीमार है, तो वह सीधे अस्पताल पहुंच सकता है। सभापति महोदय, उसी प्रकार से प्रधानमंत्री कृषि सिंचाई योजना किसान भाइयों-बहनों के लिए एक क्रंति लाने वाली है। क्योंकि हर खेत में इस योजना के द्वारा हम लोग पानी लाने की कोशिश करेंगे। अगर हर खेत में पानी आएगा, मैं तो हज़ारीबाग संसदीय क्षेत्र से हूँ, जहाँ के80प्रतिशत खेतों में सिंचाई की सुविधा नहीं है, वे सिर्फ रेन-फेड हैं। सिर्फ बरसात के माध्यम से उन खेतों को पानी मिलता है। यदि हम लोग हर खेत में हरियाली लाएंगे, हर खेत में पानी लाएंगे, तो हम एक नहीं तीन फसल काटेंगे। इन तीन फसलों के कारण हमारे किसान भाइयों-बहनों को आमदनी बढ़ेगी, रोज़गार प्राप्त होगा और खाने-पीने का जो हमारा उत्पादन बढ़ेगा, उससे महँगाई भी कम होगी। इसे कहते हैं विकास। इसे कहते हैं साधन देना। माइनलेस पापुलिज्म नहीं। पर रिसोर्सेज़ और अपॉरचुनिटीज़ देना। इसके कारण, जैसा कि मैंने कहा, बहुत रोज़गार बढ़ेगा और साथ-साथ, कितनी सोच के साथ, कितने ध्यान से हम लोगों ने इस सिंचाई योजना का निर्माण किया है क्योंकि इसके साथ-साथ हम लोगों ने दीनदयाल उपाध्याय योजना भी उसके साथ जोड़ी है। उसमें सेपरेट फीडर होगा, जिससे जो किसान हैं, उनको बिजली मिलेगी और वे सिंचाई कर पाएंगे। यह इसके साथ क्यों जोड़ा गया है?क्योंकि गुजरात में, जैसा कि हमारे आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री जी ने दिखाया है, गुजरात में हम सेपरेट फीडर रखें और सब नदियों को बांधकर सिंचाई करवाएं, तो एग्रीकल्चरल ग्रोथ, जो गुजरात में एग्रीकल्चरल ग्रोथ हो रहा है, जहाँ पूरे देश में दो, तीन और चार प्रतिशत एग्रीकल्चरल ग्रोथ होता है, आदरणीय सदस्यों, वहाँ गुजरात में एग्रीकल्चरल ग्रोथ10वर्षों से 10प्रतिशत है। इस तरीके से हम लोगों को साधन दे रहे हैं। दूसरा प्रमुख बिन्दु, मैंने कहा मैं रोज़गार और इंवेस्टमेंट सायकल पर बोलूंगा। जैसा कि मैंने कहा इस समय इंवेस्टमेंट सायकल from 13 per cent of GDP it has dropped to 9 per cent of GDP because investors and business people lost confidence in the UPA Government and the economic management of this country. Now, we have to get the investment cycle going and if you look through the Budget, then you will see that there is a package of measures that will genuinely get the private sector investment going.
How will we do it? First of all, we have a number of measures to drive growth in the IT / BPO industry; in the telecom industry; in the construction industry; and in the insurance industry, which is where the investments are. But at the same time, we are also going to encourage the growth of entrepreneurial and innovative firms, which is where most of the jobs are created. I will talk about it as well and tell you how we are going to promote the growth of entrepreneurial and innovative firms. But first, when we talk about investment, we must talk about a measure that is in the Budget, which is truly innovative and that is Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS). Now, REITS are known the world over for being able to spur investment into real estate and infrastructure. I will urge the hon. Minister to consider the best models of these that are in Singapore and in some of the other Asian countries like Thailand. If we apply these global best practices, then I am sure that we will get billions and billions of dollars that will flow into infrastructure, and it will really enable us to stimulate investment in infrastructure. This is a ground-breaking and a very, very innovative idea to get the private investment cycle going.
I will also draw your attention, hon. Members, to venture capital. I am a venture capitalist as well. I can tell you that the Rs. 10,000 crore fund of funds idea that has been presented in the Budget has been hailed by everybody in the industry and by all people as being one that will make a huge difference to entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation in India.
The idea of this is that the Government will provide Rs. 10,000 crore in a fund of fund structure, if the Government truly operates as an anchor investor which is what I would recommend the Government do, then it will stimulate not just Rs. 10,000 crore of investment, but Rs. 40,000 crore in investment because the Government will be an anchor investor and it will only be 25 per cent of these funds. If the Government is an anchor investor and is going to provide 25 per cent of the funds, I can assure you that a number of investors will come in, limited partners from around the word and from India will come in. They will also add funds to these venture capital funds and instead of Rs. 10,000 crore, we will get Rs. 40,000 crore going into venture capital, which will be truly ground-breaking for India. This is an extraordinary innovation.
What the hon. Finance Minister has presented, as far as capital markets is concerned, is also path-breaking. We have said that there will be a single uniform KYC, which will be interoperable across multiple financial accounts. This is very, very important to ensure that our capital markets operate in a friction-free environment. We have said that there will be one single Demat account for all financial products so that you can get a picture of your entire financial well-being on one screen. That is truly ground-breaking as well, which does not exist today. Being a business person and an investor, I can tell you the fact that we are making it mandatory for Indian companies to follow IFRS is an extraordinarily important step which will align us with global protocols, global practices and will reassure investors and reassure particularly people from outside the country so that they can invest with confidence in India. This will further stimulate and get our investment cycle going.
The final point on the investment cycle is the recapitalisation of our public sector banks. As we all know, if our public sector banks are not appropriately capitalised, if they do not meet the Basle-III capitalisation norms and they do not have the equity base, they cannot lend, they cannot get businesses going and they cannot get financial inclusion to happen. The fact that we have laid out a roadmap for the recapitalisation of the banks is extraordinarily important. I must commend the hon. Finance Minister for taking the step. I think this is a very important step to ensure that we get investments going. In addition to that, we have allowed for infrastructure lending for our public sector banks. The RBI has said that it will provide differentiated banking licences on a continuous basis. We are not going to be in a situation, which is what the UPA presented, when for the entire ten years in office, during the tenure of the UPA, not a single banking licence was given out. On the other hand, we have laid out a framework under which you can get differentiated banking licences on a continuous basis. It is very, very important. We have said that we will also create Debt Recovery Tribunals, which will make it possible to deal with non-performing assets which are also crippling our public sector banks.
These are all very important steps. They may sound technical, but they are all extremely important to get private sector investments to take off and for the economy to move ahead.
At the end, I would like to once again mention to the hon. Members of the Opposition that they need to introspect. कबीर जी का एक बहुत उम्दा दोहा है:
“बुरा जो देखन मैं चला, बुरा न मिल्या कोय।
जो मन खोजा आपना, मुझसे बुरा न कोय।।” आप लोग सोचिए, आप लोगों ने विरासत में हमें क्या दिया। बुरे तो आप लोग हैं, जो आप लोगों ने हमें विरासत में यह सब दिया और हमें संभालना पड़ रहा है। मुझे पूरा भरोसा है, जैसा हमारे आदरणीय प्रधान मंत्री ने कहा है, यह जो बजट है, यह हमारी आर्थिक व्यवस्था के लिए एक संजीवनी है। एक संजीवनी है क्योंकि आप लोगों ने जिस प्रकार से यह आर्थिक व्यवस्था छोड़ी, हमारे संघर्ष से हमारी मेहनत से, हमारी नीतियों से इस संजीवनी के द्वारा अच्छे दिन आ गए हैं।
DR. M. THAMBIDURAI (KARUR): Mr. Chairman Sir, I rise to support the General Budget 2014-15 presented by hon. Finance Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley on the 10th of this month.
First of all, our party supports this Budget. I want to tell what my hon. Chief Minister has said in her statement supporting this Budget, “the Union Budget 2014-15 reflects the seriousness with which the new Government of India has set about the task of addressing the challenge of revival of growth and improving the macro-economic situation of the country. It is a very responsible document which has placed fiscal prudence at the fore-front and at the same time addresses the heightened expectations from the new Government. It is a forward looking exercise in positivity. The Budget has commenced, in right earnest, the process of tackling the problems and issues head on”.
Sir, what has our hon. Finance Minister said in his Speech? First, he wanted to see that whatever was said in the President’s Address, be fulfilled. In that direction, he gave his Budget Speech. He said that the people of India have decisively voted for a change. For the last 10 years, the UPA-I and UPA-II Governments have failed to implement certain programmes which will tackle price rise and inflation of this country. For that, the people of India unhesitatingly voted for a change. India wants to grow. For that, the new Government wants to give some new programmes which can help in development of this country. Why did the previous Government not succeed? They were slow at decision making which had resulted in the loss of opportunity. The country is no more prepared to suffer unemployment, inadequate basic amenities, lack of infrastructure and apathetic Government. We want some kind of employment opportunity. People are ready to work. Has the previous Government given the opportunity? They may say that they have given so many programmes. In reality, they could not succeed in implementing the programmes. That is why, the people have not voted for them and they voted for the NDA Government.
Our hon. Finance Minister has made it very clear that in the existing economic scenario, he could not make any magic immediately. Therefore, he made it very clear that it will take some more time to bring down the inflation and progress in the growth rate. In the year 2010, the growth rate of Indian economy was 9 per cent. Now, the growth rate has drastically changed and came down to 4.5 per cent. How will he revive the growth rate? For that, he envisaged certain programmes. The Budget alone cannot solve the problem. He said that for the sustained growth rate of 7-8 per cent, it will take three to four years. He said that he cannot do it immediately. He says that it will take three to four years. We should appreciate him for his acceptance of the ground reality of our Indian economy.
He said that his roadmap for fiscal deficit for the year 2015-16 is 3.5 per cent and 3 per cent for 2016-17.
I want to tell the House about the allocations which he made in this Budget. First of all, he said in his Budget speech that Revenue receipts are Rs. 11,89,763 crore. The total receipts which he is going to get are Rs. 17,94,892 crore. In that, non-plan expenditure alone goes up to Rs. 12,19,892 crore. He has given for plan expenditure a sum of Rs.5,75,000 crore. The total expenditure is Rs.17,94,892 crore in the Budget. He said in his speech that the Plan Expenditure based on the “actual” of previous year has increased by 26.9 per cent. But, I would like to know whether it is feasible, if we go through all the previous years’ figures. I would like to know whether he is going to achieve 26.9 per cent. If we take the previous Budget, the Revised Estimates are going down as compared to the Budget Estimates. For example, if we take the plan expenditure in 2013-14, it was Rs.5,55,322 crore. But when the Revised Estimates were given, it was Rs. 4,75,532. That was reduced. His estimates are based on the “actuals”. I would like to know whether he is going to maintain the same figure of estimate up to the “actuals”. If he is going to maintain it, it is appreciated. In most of the cases, whatever is shown in the Budget Estimates, is going down at the time of Revised Estimates. Therefore, in order to maintain our economic activity, Plan expenditure must be maintained and then only we can create some kind of assets.
Our friend from the BJP said everything about macro stability and also about investment in corporate industrial sector. He never touched the common man. I am sorry about that. Our Minister has mentioned about so many programmes for the common man. Instead of touching the common man’s programmes, he talked more about the macro economic stability, investing more and attracting FDI and so on. He forgot to mention about other things which are more important to common man of our country.
Hon. Finance Minister said in the Budget speech about the fiscal deficit of 4.1 per cent. He is going to reduce it to 3.6 per cent for 2015-16 and three per cent for 2016-17. That is a welcome thing. He has taken the initiative to reduce the deficit in due course of time.
He mentioned about the agriculture sector and how much he is going to allocate to it. He has said about the farm loan of Rs.8 lakhs to be given to the farmers. That is a good suggestion. He has done a good thing for the farm sector by giving the loan. Even though he has said about so many other programmes for agriculture, they are not sufficient. Agriculture sector is more important. We have discussed so many times in Parliament about agriculture in previous years. This is a neglected sector. It is a dying sector. It is high time we had revived agriculture. When we are reviving the agriculture, we have not only to invest more but we have to give more incentives to the farmers also. Then only our economy will survive. Our country is based on rural economy. We are dependent on that. We want food. Food inflation is there. Therefore, we have to give the minimum support price for the farmers based on the actual price of input. This is the most important thing that this Government has to address on the agriculture side. He can give incentives for production in manufacturing sector but agriculture is more important. We insist that the Minister must try to allocate more for the agriculture sector.
Regarding cleaning the Ganga Programme, this is a good project. He has allocated more than Rs.2,037 crore for cleaning the Ganga. I am not against that. He has provided Rs.100 crore for the detailed project report for linking up rivers. He has given Rs.100 crore for the DPR for linking up rivers. We know that the NDA Government already discussed the interlinking of rivers during Vajpayee days. You do not have to wait. You could have allotted more funds to implement that scheme. At the same time, you have provided Rs.2,037 crore for integrated Ganga Conservation Mission. I am not objecting to that. It has to be implemented because it is good for the country. You have also provided Rs.100 crore for development and beautification of ghats at Kedarnath, Haridwar, Kanpur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Patna and Delhi. However, you are only thinking about the Ganga. What about the other rivers? What about Kaveri, Brahmaputra, Krishna, Godavari, etc?
At the time when President’s Address was being debated I insisted that you consider taking up cleaning up activities of other rivers also, but you have not said anything about them in this Budget. India has many sacred rivers but most of them are polluted now. Kaveri, Krishna, Narmada, all are polluted now. I, therefore, request the Minister to allocate funds, at least a token amount, not only for river Ganga but for other rivers also. You have already provided allocations of Rs.100 crore each to many schemes. You had to explain that this is initial money, and you promised that after drafting the plan you would be allocating more funds. I appreciate that. But in the same way and in the same spirit, if you had allocated money for other rivers, also I would have appreciated it more. Please consider this and see that other rivers also are cleaned up in due course of time.
Coming to the States, at page No.3 of the Budget at a Glance, the States’ share of taxes and duties is given as 18 per cent, Plan assistance to the States as 15 per cent, and non-Plan assistance to States and Union Territories as three per cent. It comes to 36 per cent. You are collecting more money from various sources from the States, but the State Governments are not in a position to impose taxes and collect revenue. Therefore, I humbly request the Finance Minister to see that the States get more share. The Minister mentioned how the recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission would be implemented. He has also said that the 14th Finance Commission has given some initial report which he would like to go through. There are a lot of controversies on this. Our hon. Chief Minister had written a letter to former Prime Minister as also the present Prime Minister with the request that Tamil Nadu be given its due share for implementing its programmes. That is what I am insisting on.
At many places, concessions are given and also many areas are not taxed by the hon. Finance Minister. The Minister said that it is because he is not in favour of imposing more taxes and taking the money away from the people. He said, let the money be with the people. He has said so in his recent interview in The Times of India. The paper wrote quoting the Minister, “The Finance Minister who presented his Budget last week, says he is for putting more money in the hands of taxpayers so that they save more and spend more”. How can they save more and spend more at the same time? If they are spending, it is coming from their own saving. How are they going to use this money which you are putting in the hands of the people? Are they going to use it properly for the benefit of their families?
To ensure that the money is properly spent, hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is implementing many welfare programmes. One such scheme provides for giving marriage assistance of four grams of gold and up to Rs.50,000 to poor girls for their marriage. And 20 kg rice a month is given free of cost to provide food security for cardholders through PDS in Tamil Nadu. Also, rice is given at Rs.20 per kg to control open market price. To enrich the lives of people living below poverty line, milch cows and goats are given free of cost. Mixies, grinders, electric fans are given free of cost. Free education along with laptop computers, books, bicycles, uniforms, footwear and educational tools are given to students free of cost. Just saving money would not help. You have to see whether the money saved is spent, and spent properly for the benefit of the beneficiaries.
Your idea is to see that money remains in the hands of the people. But people have to spend it in a proper way by purchasing manufactured goods as a result of which the industries can be developed. For that, you can follow the model of Tamil Nadu. What they are doing is spending the money and purchasing the products from the industries and giving directly to the people, where especially the womenfolk would be happy. Otherwise, the men would misuse the savings. What is the guarantee that you are going to spend that for better purposes and also use the savings for industrial production? You have said that you want to give employment opportunity and increase industrial production. That is why you are giving concessions. That is why I am suggesting you to follow the Tamil Nadu model, where whatever is produced by the industries, you purchase and give the benefit directly to the people. That is the Tamil Nadu model. That is what I am suggesting.
Regarding FDI, we know very well that the BJP which was at that time in the Opposition, along with our party and the Left parties, had opposed FDI in retail. You have said in your speech that you are allowing 49 per cent FDI in defence and also in the manufacturing companies. At the same time, you have said that you are allowing them to sell their products in the retail market. So, whoever is producing their product here, you would be allowing them to sell in the open market, which will become retail trade, which you also opposed at that time. All of them opposed, when FDI in retail was allowed. Now, you are indirectly bringing it. First, you are allowing 49 per cent investment in the industry. After they produce the products, you are allowing them to sell them in the market also. The hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has written so many times and also opposed it. You must now allow FDI in retail. You allow investment in industries. That is a different issue. We are appreciating that. In defence also, you said instead of purchasing weapons from outside, the Government can allow them to produce here. That is a good suggestion. There is nothing wrong in that but at the same time, you should not allow these things to be sold in the retail market.
You have spoken about establishing 100 smart cities. We welcome that programme. Our Chief Minister has said, ‘We welcome the programme to establish 100 smart cities. While thanking the Government of India for including the development of Ponneri as a smart city within Tamil Nadu, with the highest urbanisation rate among the larger States, it should naturally be a location for a larger number of smart cities. We look forward to the details of the programme and expect to avail of our due share of the Rs. 7060 crore provision in the Budget for smart cities and the full funding provision of Rs. 50,000 crore for urbanisation.’ It is a good step. The hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has welcomed that.
You have also mentioned about the national industrial corridor. You have made it from Chennai to Ponneri and Andhra Pradesh and Bengaluru. It goes on like that. But we are benefited only partly in the city of Chennai. The other parts of Tamil Nadu are neglected. Already the Government of Tamil Nadu has started implementing the Madurai to Thoothukudi corridor. That is why, I am requesting you to extend the corridor from Chennai to the southern parts of Tamil Nadu, which will be beneficial to the entire State. That is what the hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has requested and she has also written a letter to the Centre.
The hon. Minister of Home Affairs is here and I want to highlight certain issues because we are not going to discuss about the Home Ministry in this Session. We are going to discuss only certain Departments like Water Resources and Road Transport. But Home Ministry is very important. What is the allocation you have given for Home Ministry? If you see the allocation, it only Rs. 8,922 crore. Is it sufficient for the Home Ministry? The Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh is here. I would request Shri Rajnath Singh to request the hon. Minister of Finance to give more allocation and more funds. It is very important because sufficient money is needed for internal security. The prime duty of the Home Minister is to protect the lives of the citizens of this country and their belongings. That is his prime duty. He is, more or less, a ‘king’. Whatever the Kings or Rajas did in olden days, the Home Minister has to do now – that is, to protect the lives of the citizens of this country and their belongings. … (Interruptions) That is why, his name is ‘Raj’ Nath Singh. He is ‘Raja’. … (Interruptions)For the purpose of internal security, is that money enough? … (Interruptions) We have modernization of police; the hon. Minister also has talked about that; it is good. For that, you have allocated Rs. 3000 crore for the States. You announced it the Budget. May I know whether it is sufficient? There is an allocation of Rs. 3000 crore for the State Governments. The State Governments are devoid of funds. They are looking after the law and order situation. The old system is still prevailing in most of the States.
If you see the figures with regard to the incidence of crimes that is happening in India, you will find that up to 2012, the total number of crimes is 20,87,188. There are many cases of crimes that are taking place in the country. The figure given is up to 2012. If you see the present figure, it may be more. So, how are you going to control the crimes? Unless we modernize the police force throughout the country, we cannot solve this problem. This is very important.
You have to depend on the State Governments because the ‘law and order’ subject is under the control of the State Governments. ‘Defence’ is with the Centre and you are allocating yourself. Shri Arun Jaitley gave a Press Statement in 2013 about the State Governments’ role in maintaining law and order. He said: “Why should the Central Government not trust the States?” You have to trust the States. He also said: “Is there any reason to doubt that the State Police in India cannot be trusted for anti-terrorist operations?” There are so many terrorist activities that are going on. We had the Mumbai incident; thereafter, there are many ‘rape incidents’ taking place in India. But we are discussing here, after incidents happen. We know that the girl ‘Nirbhaya’ died; we created the ‘Nirbhaya Fund’ later on; we are discussing things later on. Why can we not allocate more funds and give them to the State Governments to modernize the police force so that the crimes are controlled, before any event takes place, in the beginning itself? That is what we are requesting. I am requesting both the Finance Minister and the Home Minister to take a serious note of that and allocate more funds for this purpose.
Internal security is more important. External security is also important, but the Defence Ministry is taking care of that. But when lakhs of crimes are taking place, how can you control? Is it not our prime duty to protect the lives of the human-beings of this country? For the purpose of modernizing, may I know whether this amount of Rs.3000 crore is enough? It would not help.
But the Finance Minister has good intention and I appreciate it. But at the same time, you have to find a way as to how to have more funds and to give it to the State Governments and also to see that law and order situation is maintained in the country. That is what I am expecting.
My friend has already said that the Government is encouraging investments in the real estate business and in road sector. As you know very well, I was also Minister of Surface Transport in the Vajpayee Government. We discussed about the road projects. At that time, people never expected that the Golden Quadrilateral Project will take off. We discussed that in the Cabinet as to how to protect the industries. At that time, the cement and the steel industries were in doldrums. We wanted to see that those industries are given impetus so that they develop. Shri Vajpayee took a bold step and implemented the four-laning project of Golden Quadrilateral throughout the country. I was the Minister at that time and I took hon. Vajpayee to Bengaluru and he laid the foundation stone on 2nd January 1999. That is how, we implemented the programme. Now, you have given a lot of fund for that Ministry; I am appreciating it.
Coming to water problem, we are facing drinking water problem throughout the country; now monsoon is going to be a failure; this has already been predicted. It is high time that the Central Government look at this problem of drinking water seriously. We have also to give safe drinking water. What the people are asking is drinking water, food and clothing. These are the basic things which the Government should make available for them. For this the Government has sanctioned Rs.3,600 crores which I appreciate but at the same time I expect more could be allocated towards this end.
In order to insulate the common man from frequent price rise and inflation, the Government of Tamil Nadu has constituted a Price Stability Fund. In the same way, the Central Government has proposed to establish a Price Stability Fund with an allocation of Rs.500 crores. We welcome this initiative.
I would like to say that most of the southern parts are suffering from power shortages and we need more fund for that. The Central Government has to come forward as the State Governments do not have enough funds. A number of issues like availability of coal are involved in establishing the power generating units.… (Interruptions)Kudankulam plant will come up. People in Kerala opposed it when Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant was supposed to come in Kerala. It has come to Tamil Nadu and we are producing power at our risk but we are not in a position to get sufficient power from Kudankulam. Let the Central Government come forward to give more share of power to Kudankulam than other regions. The Government should put a condition and do not give share to such States which opposed the setting up of nuclear power plants in their States. Only those States which are having the nuclear power plant should be given their share in power. Then only other States will come forward to have nuclear power projects. It cannot be accepted that at the cost of one State other States get the benefit. Let there be a policy decision to the effect that whoever is having a nuclear power plant is eligible to get a share in power and not the other States.
We appreciate the bold step taken by the Finance Minister in announcing a number of programmes in the Budget. As the Minister has said, it is not a magic and it will take time to reap the benefits. The Minister has frankly accepted the deficiencies in our economic system. We are with the Minister in his endeavour to address these deficiencies and take the country forward. As our hon. Chief Minister Amma has welcomed the Budget, we also welcome it. It may prove to be a milestone in the development of our country.
14.54 hrs GENERAL BUDGET(2014-15) – GENERAL DISCUSSION DEMANDS FOR EXCESS GRANTS (GENERAL), 2011-12 – Contd.
SHRI SUDIP BANDYOPADHYAY (KOLKATA UTTAR): Hon. Chairman, Sir, I have two documents; ‘Budget Estimate’ and ‘Budget at a Glance’ in my hand. One is in my left hand and the other is in my right hand. One is placed by Shri P. Chidambaram this year and the other is submitted by Shri Arun Jaitley this year. The size and the colour of the two are such that if I move these documents from one hand to the other nobody could guess which one is submitted by Shri Jaitley and which one is submitted by Shri P. Chidambaram. I will try to show that even in terms of content also both are very much similar. It appears that they are the two sides of the same coin.
Sir, I will first take up ‘the Budget at a Glance’ submitted by Shri Arun Jaitley. It has been categorically mentioned that the revenue receipt in this Budget is Rs.11,89,763 crores. The capital receipts are Rs.605129 crore and the total comes to Rs.1794892 crore. This is to be divided into plan outlay and non-plan outlay. What is the plan outlay? It is Rs.575000 crore for new projects, new plans and innovative ideas to be implemented in reality. This is known as the plan outlay part of the Budget. Then, what is non-plan? It means we will have to meet up the day-to-day expenditure of the set up and the establishment for the functioning of various Departments. The non-plan expenditure is Rs.1219892 crore. So, the revenue receipts and expenditure are at par. The total cash receipt of the Government is Rs.1364524 crore. So, it is detected that the fiscal deficit is becoming 4.1 per cent of the GDP. I want to know from the hon. Finance Minister whether to restrict the fiscal deficit at 4.1 per cent is a challenging task to him or not. I would also like to know in what way he is going to implement it when the revenue deficit also will be 2.9 per cent of the GDP.
In one of his speeches, the Finance Minister also mentioned that 2013-14 actual is somehow more but I do not know how in his budget estimates for 2013-14, the actual has not been mentioned anywhere. The actual here is of 2012-13; budget estimate is of 2013-14; and revised estimate is there for 2014-15. But you have to mention somewhere your actual for 2013-14. If you find time, I want to be clarified on this point.
Sir, what appears to me is that even after Independence, the eastern region – West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Tripura and Assam – is the sufferer of regional imbalance. Now Jharkhand is also included in that. According to our assessment, West Bengal is the worst sufferer of regional imbalance after Independence. I would urge upon the Minister to consider a few of our demands which I would place before him while speaking on the Budget.
Firstly, you know that in West Bengal a Government ruled for long 34 years. The Communist rule was there. They ruled for long 34 years and what the condition was, I just want to read it for your information. It is commonly known that the Left Front Government left behind a massive burden of over Rs.2 lakh crore throwing West Bengal into a debt trap. We were debt-trapped by a margin of Rs.2 lakh crore in 34 years.
15.00 hrs It is also widely known that the Finance Commission had indicated that the States of Punjab, Kerala and West Bengal were severely debt stressed and are in urgent need of being rescued from fiscal distress. For the States of Kerala and Punjab, debt to GSDP ratio stood at 27.86 per cent and 29.91 per cent respectively, whereas the corresponding figure of West Bengal was a staggering 38 per cent.
Sir, the Budget is an occasion when the States of India and the nation as well expects that the Central Government will address the actual problems of debt in the debt-stressed States, at least of States like West Bengal, Kerala and Punjab. In West Bengal, about nine crore people are looking forward to a waiver of the outstanding debt. It is a very categorical appeal that we are making. We made this appeal during the regime of the UPA Government also. They neither bothered about it, nor gave any importance. We met with the then hon. Prime Minister and also the hon. Finance Minister, but we did not find any response. Our appeal to this Government is that they should waive this debt. That is a positive demand that we are making today.
Sir, the hon. Finance Minister has made certain proposals, each worth Rs. 100 crore, for 28 schemes such as Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao, allocation is Rs. 100 crore; Government has allotted Rs. 100 crore for upliftment of Madrasas; allocation of Rs. 100 crore has been made for tribal welfare etc. Dr. Thambidurai was making some suggestions and also were giving some ideas and asking the Government to follow the footsteps of Ms. Jayalalitha in regard to certain schemes being implemented in the State of Tamil Nadu. There is a scheme called Kanyasree prakalpa launched by our State Government and our hon. Chief Minister, Ms. Mamata Banerjee allotted a sum of Rs. 1000 crore for this project and this project has not only been appreciated by all sections of Bengal, but also no political party has dared to criticise this project which is meant to benefit the girl children. We would like to request the Government to consult with the Chief Minister of West Bengal and take some ideas from the Kanyasree Prakalpa through which the programme meant for the girl children announced by the Centre could also be implemented in letter and spirit.
15.03 hrs (Prof. K.V. Thomas in the Chair) Sir, a sum of Rs. 200 crore has been allocated to build a statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. We have no objection to that. But why can we not build another statue for Swami Vivekananda? In India, on every 12th of January, we observe the National Youth Day. The hon. Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji also visited Belur Math Ramakrishna Mission which was established by Swami Vivekananda. He went there to take the blessings from Swami Atmsthananda Maharaj, the present President of the Belur Math. During the campaign also the BJP party took the help of the statues, pictures and idols of Swami Vivekananda. Even it is heard, according to a Press statement made by Shri Narendra Modi ji, that he was once advised by the President of the Belur Math to keep his beards and not to shave it – though I am not advised by them, I keep it on my own from my early ages – for which he never has shaved his beards. It seems from the thumping of the desks that every Member of the House appreciates this idea and so I would like to request that one statue of Swami Vivekananda may be installed in the city of Kolkata.
My next point is about the FDI issue. Arun Ji, BJP was known as a party of national feelings, national ethos and national sentiments. But I do not know how BJP has transferred itself to a party of total FDI. Is it a total change or shift of the philosophy of the BJP? I am interested to know or learn. It is mentioned here as 49 per cent. They are coming to penetrate into our Defence sector. We are afraid that if foreign groups enter our Defence sector and, if they go through it, will our country be benefited by this decision?… (Interruptions)
श्री निशिकान्त दुबे (गोड्डा) : वह बोफोर्स का रास्ता बताना चाहते हैं दादा। ...(व्यवधान)
SHRI SUDIP BANDYOPADHYAY : I wanted to see you as MoS, Finance. You have not been made so. How can I help you? It is unfortunate. … (Interruptions)
Similarly, we oppose FDI in insurance sector also. We request you to withdraw this 49 per cent share of FDI, as Dr. Thambidurai was also requesting. I still remember - and Mr. Jaitley you know - that we TMC were the Ministers at the Centre, I was also a Minister, and we TMC ministers resigned. The reasons of resignation were that FDI was being launched into the retail markets. In spite of the fact that we were with the UPA, we came out of the UPA Government, you were extending full support to the traders section of the society. You were extending support that FDI should not be allowed to invade our retail markets. So, what is your stand now? If it is installed, and is allowed in insurance sector and Defence sector, are you welcoming the decision of FDI in retail sector also? You will have to make it clear on the floor of the House that whether you are in favour of FDI in the retail sector of our country or not.
I would rather say then that India has a parallel economy of black money. It was most inspiring when this Government came out and announced that they will take all positive measures to bring back black money which are lying abroad. But in this Budget speech, very surprisingly, nothing is mentioned about the role of black money. Why is there a silence in this regard? The whole country is keen to know about this black money issue. We would expect that the Government will announce its thinking, ideas and policies about black money.
You have announced a Mission called Namami Gange. There may be demands about other rivers from different parts. You have said about reforms, renovation and beautification. You have taken the names of Kedarnath, Kanpur, Hardwar, Varanasi, Allahabad and Delhi. I would request you to include Kolkata also. एक कहावत भी है - ‘सब तीर्थ बार-बार, गंगासागर एक बार।’ Rabindranath Tagore was cremated in the banks of River Ganga in Kolkata. Swami Vivekananda was cremated in the banks of River Ganga and you know that he expired at the age of 39 years only. It is history. Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Dev was also cremated by the side of the River Ganga in Kolkata. All were born in my constituency, Kolkata, from where I have been elected. So, I would like to request you that Kolkata be also added for this development, beautification and renovation of Ganga project.
Why is the Government silent about jute industry? There is a battle going on between jute and plastic industries. In jute industry more than two crore people of this country are involved. But there is no mention of jute industry. Similarly, tea is also an important sector. … (Interruptions) Mr. Chairman, Sir, I would request the hon. Minister to listen to us more attentively. I am just making a request. Tea is an industry which is looked after by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Darjeeling tea is known as the world famous tea and the best in the world. But the export of Darjeeling tea is diminishing. We no longer hold the number one position in the world. Other countries have left us behind. So, tea sector has to be given all-out protection. We demand more share in the royalty of jute. Please do not run behind plastic industry. We are asking for more revenue share in the case of coal also. You are going to set up eight textile mega clusters. We request you to set up one textile mega cluster in our State, West Bengal because West Bengal is the hub of textile sector and it has several Geographical Indication products in the textile sector. So, we feel it is a tragedy and a cruel joke on the people of West Bengal. We hope and our weavers hope that in these eight textile mega clusters, West Bengal will also be added.
I would now come up with other projects. You have allotted Rs. 100 crore for the rural youth of India of 35 crores. If it is divided, only Rs. 2 per youth will be allotted. What could be a bigger mockery than this? If I go for a Budget comparison between 2013-14 and 2014-15, the figures read like this. For the education sector, in 2013-14, it was Rs. 79,451 crore and in 2014-15 it is Rs. 83,000 crore; for health and family welfare, the Budget allocation in 2013-14 was Rs. 33,000 crore, in 2014-15 it is Rs. 34,000 crore; for rural development, it was Rs. 74,000 crore, now it is Rs. 78,000 crore; for women and child development it was Rs. 20,000, now it is Rs. 21,000; for agriculture and cooperation it was Rs. 19,000 crore, now it is Rs. 22,000 crore; for drinking water and sanitation it was Rs. 15,000 crore, now it is Rs. 15,000 crore, it is the same; for environment it was Rs. 2,000 crore, now also it is Rs. 2,000 crore. So, in comparison to last year’s Budgetary proposals, the Budget allocations are the same for this year also. I would also submit to you that price rise and unemployment are skyrocketing. How can we manage it?
In this connection, I would like to give you a proposal. In our childhood days, we used to launch a movement on the street demanding that essential commodities be delivered through the PDS which I am not finding now. I will tell you, Sir, that the State must make available all the essential commodities through the PDS.… (Interruptions) Of course, Tamil Nadu is doing it. What I am proposing is that the following essential commodities be supplied through the PDS. In your Economic Survey, you have mentioned at page 138 that a record production of foodgrains and oil seeds has taken place this year. I propose that the following essential commodities be supplied through the PDS by which poverty can be given a very good resistance.
What are the items? They are, one: rice; two, wheat; three, pulses; four, sugar; five, kerosene oil; six, maize; seven, bajra; eight, groundnut; nine, rapeseed and mustard seed; ten, cotton; eleven, tea; twelve, salt and then milk. I want to know whether a new idea can be announced here saying that these essential commodities would be supplied through the PDS because, Arun ji, still, according to my opinion, in our country, the PDS and the Postal Systems are discharging their responsibility with very good efficiency. So, if we can utilize the PDS properly, that can prove to be a most vibrant system which will be acceptable to the common people and they will really benefit a lot by this system. I want a positive response from your end. I think this suggestion is a positive one from the Opposition. It is not that we are only criticizing the Budget always but we are giving some ideas also to you as far as the Budget is concerned. Let this Budget have some pro-people idea. You also give some precedent that you are accepting a few proposals from us for the hungry people. I always tell this on different occasions that in our country hungry people are still fighting with hunger. They are not finding any way to overcome this and how they can benefit.
The Government is providing jobs for 100 days paying minimum wages. I would request you to try to increase it to at least 200 days in a year so that the poor people can benefit. Then, gradually come up with a positive method of providing job to the unemployed, young boys and girls by which they can really benefit. So, it is also a positive request to you to think of. We want to assure you that whenever any pro-people decision is taken, the Trinamool Congress will extend its support to the Government. We will give you protection for the decisions which will always give shelter, protection, benefit to the poor people Our leader has proven how pro-poor people decisions can be taken by the State. Dr. Thambidurai was telling about a few pro-people decisions that had been taken in Chennai. They are now having 37 MPs with them, and out of 42 here in West Bengal, we have 34 MPs.
I think, I am not giving any good advice but making a request to consider. If the Government takes any decision which appears to us as an anti-people decision, we even do not bother to come out by resigning from the Ministry. It is only the Trinamool Congress Party, whose six Ministers, came out by resigning from the Government which increased the prices of domestic gas, for introduction of FDI, for lifting of subsidy from fertilizers. We go on with this ideas and philosophy.
After a long 10 years, a new Government has taken over. It is not for us to criticise or accuse the Government at every step but wherever you would go, for a better step, we would stand by you. But we would not support any decision of the Government which is of the FDI, by the FDI or for the FDI.
I think the matters raised by me would be taken up on priority basis. We have been raising issues concerning West Bengal categorically on many occasions. We have been raising this issue from Government to Government; from the UPA Government to the NDA Government. The UPA Government did not give any hearing nor took any step. I hope that this Government would take some positive steps and announce waiver of debts for the West Bengal Government, which is under debt trap because of the 34 years of misrule by the Left Front Government.
HON. CHAIRPERSON : Hon. Members, as I have a long list of speaker to speak on the General Budget, there is a suggestion – those who want to lay their written speeches, they can do so. It would be treated as part of the proceedings.
Now, Shri Mahtab.
SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB (CUTTACK): Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I stand before you and in this House to participate in the General Discussion on the Budget (General) for 2014-15. All of us heard the Finance Minister in rapt attention the other day. After winning a majority on its own, the major party of the ruling alliance has in its first two policy statements – the Railway Budget and the Union Budget – unambiguously initiated a recalibration of its ideology towards the Right. That was expected. It has redefined the unprecedented role accorded to the private sector over the public sector, recorded Government spending by transferring spending power to the States, further reduced the importance of an already marginalized Planning Commission. I would compliment the Finance Minister for being blunt, and honest in admitting at the outset of his Budget speech.
The people of India have voted for change. However, delivering that change using public resources is not going to happen overnight. This bluntness is important and welcome. Here, he has not treated this Budget as a reform agenda, rather it signals areas of continuity and areas of change. The revenue and fiscal deficit aspirations for 2014-15 remained unchanged. This Government in continuity with the previous administration will use the Central Government resources to largely fund revenue expenditure. The Finance Minister started off by rightly pointing out that the economy is in bad shape, and there has to be an agenda for macro economic stabilization and concrete future action.
This Government inherited not only a fiscal mess, but also an economy burdened with inflation, low GDP growth and a slow down in investment and manufacturing as well as inadequate infrastructure. In general, this Government posed a Budget that guaranteed a continuum of Congress Government’s policies and there was no drastic change or turn around from social sector sops. Somehow, the challenge of fiscal consolidation and keeping the fiscal deficit at 4.1 per cent of the GDP is mentioned. But how this is going to be done is not spelt out clearly. The Budget speech with 253 paragraphs – I was counting it – is an inordinately long speech. The Finance Minister had said, “It would not be wise to expect everything that can be done or must be done to be in the first Budget presented within forty five days of the formation of this Government.” He is absolutely right. The Budget is not the only policy instrument nor is the first Budget meant to be the last one for a Government that is going to be around here for five years. But the question is this. Does the Government need more than 45 days for its core areas? What are the core areas? The revenue and expenditure and the foremost is credibility.
Sir, in his maiden speech, the Finance Minister has targeted a modest Rs. 43,425 crore from disinvestment in PSUs and has done little to phase out wasteful subsidies. The Union Government’s total subsidy bill is Rs. 2,51,658 crore, almost Rs. 5,150 more than the Revised Estimates of 2013-14. The increase in FDI cap from 26 per cent to 49 per cent in insurance and defence manufacturing are cautious steps. We will be dealing with the FDI enhancement in insurance later on when the Bill comes up before this House and I have a different opinion on this. But relating to defence, I have a question to ask. If you raise it to 49 per cent, are you going to get any technical know-how from foreign players? Until and unless they get 51 per cent and above, why would they come to India? Those weapon producing firms have gone to other countries because they have got the proprietorship of those companies. But here, if you give them 49 per cent, I have my doubts whether they will come to this country or not.
Personal Income Tax concessions are a bit disappointing given the kind of expectations that were there in the run up to the Budget. But should not we expect from the new Government that does not have to worry about its survival? It does not seem to deviate from the path of previous Budgets. If this Budget is like a prelude to something more drastic to come in future, then it is quite acceptable because although the Finance Minister acknowledged quite succinctly all the areas of weakness.
The Budget did not have any new features and did not contain a clear and crisp road map for a prosperous India. Hopefully, in the next Budget, which will be around after six months’ time, the Government will move away from the Congress proto-type and shadow and have something new of its own to say. Meanwhile, if the economy does well and there is a turn around, the next Budget would be a bold one. However, a close reading of the Budget reveals at least five big ticket reforms which this Government is planning.
The Budget’s fine print indicates reform in fuel subsidies, plan schemes and a big push to disinvestment. This Budget proposes complete decontrol of diesel prices before March, 2015. The gap between administered and marked prices is to be completely eliminated by then. The fine print also indicates that the existing quota of 12 subsidised LPG cylinders per connection per year would be made more ‘realistic’. It does not say what the new cap will be or by when the decision will be made.
The ambitious programme for Direct Benefit Transfer for subsidies to be paid directly into Aadhaar-linked bank account will continue. Once DBT for LPG is rolled out across 291 districts, it will cover 7 crore consumers, says the Budget. Are we not aware that public sector oil marketing companies are making profits by selling oil and petroleum products to consumers contrary to the perception that they are selling oil at a loss? The gain which could have been passed on to retail consumers has been estimated to be around Rs. 50,000 crore in five years between 2007 and 2012. This has been the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General in its latest audit report on pricing of petroleum products. I hope when the PAC will be formed, they will be taking up that matter.
Now, coming to Aadhaar, I would say the Standing Committee on Finance of last Lok Sabha had urged the then Government to reconsider and review the UID scheme and bring forth a fresh legislation. The report was presented to the Parliament on December 11, 2011. The UPA Government never came back to Parliament with a new Bill. That Government never told any one whether they accept the recommendations in toto or partially or even reject them. The Bill, as prepared by the UPA, was inadequate and eliquate to deal with the challenges. Its passage would have created more problems than it would have solved. The UPA created UID by an executive order. It had inherent weaknesses. When the Finance Minister has spoken about UID, I hope that this Government will avoid the mistakes that the UPA made in the implementation of this entirely laudable scheme.
In the Budget, the Finance Minister has said about GST. Before taking up the amendment of the Constitution to introduce GST, this Government must plug several loopholes in the draft legislation. The trust deficit that existed between the Union Government and the State Governments must go. But I am surprised when the CBEC chief says very openly that she has not been consulted by the Finance Ministry on GST. GST aims to replace almost all the indirect taxes in the country with a single tax. It will replace Central Excise, Customs Duty and Service Tax, all that is administered by CBEC. How come its chief is not consulted? This was reported in the media on 14th last month. Has this been sorted out?
Coming to black money, I would say, setting up of a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe black money was perhaps the first decision of this Government. Swiss authorities have said, it would reveal names of illegal account holders. The Finance Minister said, he would write to Swiss Government to get the details. Already a month has passed. The UPA Government had ignored the offer of German and other Governments who had offered to provide lists of illegal accounts in their possession. Why aren’t you pursuing it? Is unearthing black money not on your priority list? This Government had stated that it will ‘bring back’ black money. The numbers claimed was huge. There is good reason to continue with efforts to discover the names of Indian taxpayers and bring them to justice. But, is it not a law and order matter? It is not a sustainable administrative fix. The biggest step that the Government should take on ending black money is to make it more difficult for people to bring back black money to India. Tax evaders, in the end, always want that money to put back to work in the economy from where it has been generated, they know best, not to store it in foreign vaults. Participatory Notes or P-Notes, as it is always said, marketed by foreign institutional investors, must become transparent. Disclosure norms should become more binding. By doing this, Indian regulators would send a message that they know who lies on the other side of more foreign exchange transactions and that will end the ability to freely launder black money. Once the routes to bring black money into Indian economy without consequences are shut off, the incentives to the creation of black money domestically will change. It will become less attractive. That is how you deal a genuine body blow to black money.
Sir, expectations from the first Budget of this new Government were different from those of previous years. We were told that this Union Government believes in stronger States. The Government believes that stronger is the State stronger is the Union. It will redefine and strengthen the sinews of federalism. The cooperation and confidence of heads of State Governments would be sought and earned. Two of my previous speakers from Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have expressed their Chief Ministers’ idea in this House. I would repeat that the cooperation and confidence of heads of State Government would be sought and earned. It would establish institutional mechanism and revive tradition of communication between Union and States. This is the idea which this new Government gave.
In a bid to usher in a model of growth in which States have a greater participation, the hon. Finance Minister has rightly doubled the allocation to State Governments. It is nearly doubled. While in the last fiscal, the Union Government had given the State Governments Rs. 2.12 trillion by way of grants and loans, the figure this time is a little over Rs. 4 trillion. A bulk of the increase is in the Central assistance from Rs. 1.11 trillion to Rs. 3.2 trillion this year. We welcome this allocation. These increased funds would be in addition to Rs. 3.82 trillion that States would get as a share of Central tax and duties, which is an increase of nearly Rs. 64,000 crore over the last year’s figures.
We welcome the decision of this Government to route all funding through the States. Earlier some of the Central allocations were directly going to the implementing agencies, thereby, distancing the State Government from the Central support. This change in methodology has been a long pending demand and it will come into effect only in this Budget. The previous UPA Government had undermined India’s federal structure. Now, it is being corrected. In a way this course correction will make the State Government machinery more accountable and the common structure will be restored.
Though the market was confused on the day the Budget was read out by the hon. Finance Minister, at the end of that day the general impression that went around is that it looks doable. Rolling back the retrospective tax would no doubt have moved the market. The confusion is that retro law remains in place but no fresh applications of it are to be made in a casual manner.
The tax target is unlikely to be achieved with Rs. 14,745 crore of tax giveaways. Excise collections are slated to rise 15.4 per cent as compared to last year’s 1.7 per cent. In 2013-14, the Union Government lost potential tax revenue worth of staggering Rs.5.73 lakh crore due to various exemptions, concessions and rebates given to sections of taxpayers. This is an increase of about Rs.6,689 crore compared to the previous year.
A comparison of the revenue foregone data over the past seven years shows that it has zoomed up by over 138 per cent from about Rs.2.4 lakh crore in 2006-07.
The Finance Minister has also talked about direct tax concessions worth Rs.76,116 crore, which were given to corporate bodies. In this Budget, preferred taxpayers get another Rs.7,000 crore write off. But when we calculate how much money has been put on the hands of the common man, one is surprised to find that you will be able to save a maximum of Rs. 5,150 because of personal income tax exemption limit of Rs.50,000 which has been up to Rs.2.5 lakh for those who are below the age of 60 and Rs.3 lakh for senior citizens. … (Interruptions)
SHRI NISHIKANT DUBEY : Investment. … (Interruptions)
SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB : I am not talking about investment. That is your subject and you will be dealing with it.
Sir, the hon. Finance Minister announced 28 schemes and projects of Rs.100 crore each. In the education sector, a slew of announcements have been made including five new IITs and five new IIMs. Odisha is going to get one IIM. We welcome it.
This Budget proposes to raise the FDI limit in insurance and defence, which I have mentioned earlier.
Sir, there are three challenges before the country and the Government, and we expect that the Finance Minister will try to address those challenges – especially three challenges, and they are: food, infrastructure and job. No country has grown where food prices are high. Unluckily, in our country, for the last eight years food inflation is above 10 per cent. Has this Government done anything to incentivize the farmers to produce those consumables that are on demand? That is the challenge. I do not know if we are discussing the Demands for Grants on Agriculture but I would like to know one thing. There was a Protein Agenda since 2012. The Mission was formed. Production of pulses was to be increased in a Mission mode. Has any review taken place? Today, fodder has become more expensive. Is there anything to stabilize the price of fodder?
On infrastructure, of course, some good steps are contemplated and I welcome it but what about jobs? Talk is there about skill. A Department has been specially created but that should not be the end of it. The foremost question is who gives job? Are there conducive atmosphere in the country where more jobs be created to absorb all skilled manpower.
There ought to be a safety net for those who get into job. … (Interruptions)
HON. CHAIRPERSON: Please conclude now.
SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB: Sir, the Rajasthan Government has made some strides. Grandfathering of jobs is already in place and that needs to be done throughout the country, and the newer ones be taken care of by the new provisions. China has progressed in this fashion during the last 25 years. Far more fundamental issue is the ability of the Budget to incentivize employment creation where market may not be the only solution. It does require Government intervention and handholding of small and medium enterprises.
Finally, I would say that this Budget will be as much judged by its ability to manage the fiscal situation as on the political promise of ache din. Demands, of course, will be made from different States. I have not mentioned any demand from our State. Perhaps our demand is still pending, which the Chief Minster had given when he met the Prime Minister the other day; and also had interacted with the Finance Minister and other Ministers. We are waiting for a very supportive decision.
Sir, in this Budget, clusters relating to textiles have been announced. Odisha textile is world famous. One cluster for textiles in Odisha is needed. For 2000 year, it is the textiles of Odisha, which made Kalinga famous throughout the world. With that demand I would say that the ability of the Budget to translate its political vision into outcomes is what will define the success of this Government.
With these words, I conclude.
*SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH (MAVELIKKARA): I am happy that Hon. Finance Minister has remembered Kerala at least once while presenting his budget in the House whereas while presenting the Railway Budget, the Hon. Railway Minister has not at all considered that a State exists in the name of Kerala.
I take this opportunity to congratulate Hon. Finance Minister to represent a budget quote The Hindu, “More continuity than change”. While in opposition you are always criticizing UPA Government and its fiscal policy, while once in power you have realized that the fiscal policy of UPA is correct. That’s why your budget is a continuation of UPA budget. We know that the fiscal policy of UPA was correct as it always focus on poor and down trodden in the society, that too not in words and in deeds. But while Hon. Finance Minister presents his budget 2014-15, he forgets the poor and remembered all their industrialist and businessmen friends. That is seen in the over enthusiasm to announce FDI in core sectors like defence, media, insurance, etc. The budget has proved that pro poor and pro youth announcements of NDA during elections are only false promises and not for implementation after coming to power.
While the Union Cabinet was formed under Shri Narendra Modiji, they have announced with great fanfare a new Ministry for youth in the country, “Ministry of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, Youth Affairs and Sports”. Where is that Ministry in the budget? What that Ministry is going to do in the Government without a mention in the budget and funds allotment? Only the previous Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is there. Where is skill development and entrepreneurship gone? If the answer is that money is with other departments, then why cheating the youth of the country by naming the Ministry. For Youth and Sports Ministry also the schemes are only those in UPA time. A new entrant is Young leaders programme. Including the new scheme, the allotment is only 0.28% of total plan outlay of the Government. If you take non-plan also, it is only 0.098% for the youth affairs and sports. Our Hon. Prime Minister has given great hopes to the youths of the country and taught them to have dreams, and finally only the dreams of the youth prevail and no support with action of the Government. During his election campaign he talked about skill development, employability, etc. But where is the budget and schemes for that? Whatever is there, is the one started by UPA Government. You may be thinking that more employment will come with more FDI, but no. If we believe news reported by business newspapers, business majors are thinking in terms of downsizing their workforce by applying technology. FDI will come with more technology and hence the employment in real terms will not enhance. Only MSME will bring in more employment and where is the enhanced outlay for that sector to build the capacity of the people?
The Government has promised big reforms in income tax and gained the vote of the middle class. But in reality, what has been given to them, a minor investment of Rs. 50,000. FDI has increased to 49%, but with government control, which means licenseraj prevails. There is no clear road map for reforms in agriculture and there are no substantial announcements to boost up the morale of the agriculturists.
My colleagues has pointed out several issues in the budget, which I am not venturing to repeat. May I point out the dismay and desperation of people of Kerala in the national budget? The only announcement to Kerala is in terms of setting up a new IIT in Kerala. Other than that the announcements are in terms of budgetary allotment to existing institutions and schemes of Kerala like FACT, Coffee Board, Tea Board, Coir Board, Rubber Board, Spice Board, MPEDA and Cashew Export Council. The NDA Government has belied the hopes of the people of Kerala. We have never felt this much marginalized by the Central Government. We are very much part of India, mind it and not across the border.
For decades, Kerala is demanding the setting up of a Cashew Board for the promotion of the cashew industry. Kollam in Kerala is the hub of cashew industry in India. More than half of the cashew factories in India is located in Kollam and its neighboring districts. I request Hon. Finance Minister to announce the setting up of Cashew Board to boost up the cashew industry with headquarters at Kollam in Kerala.
The budget has sidelined Kerala in the announcement of five tourist circuits. Kerala is the major earner of foreign currency in tourism in India. Without incorporating Kerala, what tourism this government is going to develop. The backwaters of Kerala, the temples of Sabarimala and Guruvayur, Munnar and the wild life sanctuaries of Kerala are the most wanted tourism spots in the world tour map, may not be for the present central government. May I request Government to consider the importance of Kerala in tourism and include the backwaters of Allappuzha and Kuttanad in the tourist circuit alongwith temples of Sabarimala and Guruvayur.
Due to the paucity of time, I am not venturing to explain the sad plight of the condition of the people living in Kuttanad area, which you also have witnessed during your visit as Chairman of Parliamentary committee. UPA Government had announced the Kuttanad Package during 2008 and started implementing the same in 2010 only. The initial project cost was Rs. 1860 crore and out of which around Rs. 1000 crore was earmarked under agriculture and related schemes. The construction activities under the irrigation programmes like outer bunds of padasekharams, repair and modernization of Thannermukkom bund and Thottappaly spillway, maintenance of AC canal, irrigation activities of Onattukara region etc. has started due to want of budgetary support. The prices of construction material has gone up and hence with the existing budget the work could not be completed. Hence, I submit that an additional budget support of Rs. 1000 crore may be allotted to complete the construction of the works under Kuttanad Package.
Kuttanad is below the sea level and the people in the locality live in the water logged areas. They are living in tiny island like places and hence always resort to small country boats to travel. During the rainy season the life becomes more vulnerable. The old people, children, women and those who are ill are facing acute problem of travel due to the non-availability of roads and bridges, boat jetties and quality boat services. Time and again the people of Kuttanad approach the centre and state governments for permanent solution and they got the Kuttanad Package. But the package announced has not considered the infrastructure development of Kuttanad on a long term basis. Hence I request that Rs. 500 crore may be allotted to Kuttanad for the infrastructure development of the region like construction of roads bridges and boat jetties.
Paddy cultivation and inland fishing is the mainstay of the people of Kuttanad. Government has introduced a scheme for the procurement of paddy from the cultivators. But unfortunately the farmers are not getting the price of their produces on time due to the delayed release of money. Sometimes the money will be paid to the farmers as late as six to nine months. The poor farmers depend on money lenders and finally end up in debt after cultivation. In order to support the farmers, central government may release the procurement price of central share in advance during each session. Moreover state government may be directed to setup a revolving fund for paddy procurement, so that the price of paddy can be given to the farmers during the time of procurement itself. The procurement price of paddy may be raised to Rs. 20 from Rs. 19 per quintal. Necessary announcements may be given in reply to the budget speech by Hon. Finance Minister.
The Government has announced a massive plan to renovate and clean Ganga river. Renovation of Ganga and River Development Department is a very high appreciable initiative of Government. I congratulate the Government for that. But you may please note that there are several other rivers also which are linked with heritage and culture and worship places which require renovation and cleansing. Pampa river of Kerala is linked with Sabarimala Shrine, where millions of people visit every year. Pampa river may be included in the programme of river development and Pampa Action Plan may be implemented. Necessary announcement may be made in the budget.
Education loans have enabled lakhs of poor students to undergo higher education. Tens and thousands of youngsters have completed their education by availing loans, but finding it very difficult to repay their loans as they are on the verge of hypothecation of their land and houses and they are on the brink of suicide. Government has responsibility to help them. I submit that the Government may announce moratorium to interest to education loans till the students are getting employment and reduce the interest rate of education loans as in the case of agriculture loans.
Hon. Finance Minister has announced that 16 ports will be developed. A great initiative and I appreciate government for that. But where is Kerala in that? We have a very long coastal area stretching from Poovar to Kasaragode. Vizhinjam airport is the dream of Keralites. Once constructed, it will be one of the mother ports in the world and can attract huge foreign investment in India. As a natural port, it is very economical and mother ships can come to the port which will help us earn huge profit in terms of foreign currency. Now, the Government of Kerala is ready with the plan to launch the project and many of the clearances are obtained. But we are all very sad to note that in the budget announcement there is no mention about Vizhinjam port. I submit Vizhinjam port may be included in the budget and announce it as an Onam gift to Kerala.
AIIMS is another dream of Kerala. While Shri Narendra Modiji campaigned in the elections in Kerala and especially while he visited Thiruvananthapuram he has ignited the hopes of the people on AIIMS. But while he presented his first budget he sidelined Kerala. How can the people of Kerala trust your words Sir? Please keep your words and include Kerala also in your AIIMS map.
The announcement of developing 100 smart cities is a welcome move from Government. I have a request here to Government to consider. The reserved constituencies of Lok Sabha are on the basis of SC/ST population and backwardness of the region. I also belong to a reserved constituency for SC population in the country. Hence while the 100 smart cities are established please consider the norm of reservation for SC/ST and include a township from my constituency also. Please may treat me as greedy or allege partisanship in this. But I have to stand for the people to whom I represent.
UPA Government has set up a commission to study the problems of forward communities and the report is with Government now. The recommendations of the Singu commission may be considered and a Corporation for the Development of Forward Communities may be announced in the budget.
The budget has announced an amount Rs. 50,548 crore for SC plan and Rs. 32,387 crore for TSP which comes around 8.79% and 5.63% respectively of the total plan fund earmarked in the budget. The allotment is very low considering the total population of SC/ST in the country. I submit that the allotment may be made as per population of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled tribes in the country to ensure equity in the distribution of resources. More steps should be taken to ensure proper utilization of funds earmarked under SC Plan and TSP for which an Act may be enacted to punish those who misappropriate SC/ST funds.
Homeopathy is a much sought after medicine system in India, especially in Kerala. Thanks to the initiative of AYUSH department in the Ministry of Health and Family welfare. In Kerala, there is a homeopathy research centre under AYUSH at Kurichi in Changanassery which is doing excellent work in the field of homeo research. My request is that this research centre may be upgraded to the status of a National Institute of Importance under Homeopathy to start education and research in Homeopathy. This may be incorporated in the budget.
As I explained earlier, work in cashew sector is one of the mainstays of workers in Kollam and many districts in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, West Bengal, Goa and Maharashtra. Lakhs of workers are involved in cashew industry. Exact number of workers in the industry is not available as all the units are not registered. Those workers in the organized cashew sector have the benefit of ESI and EPF scheme. Kerala state has implemented cashew workers welfare board. Whereas the cashew workers of other states and those workers in unorganized cashew sector and unregistered companies are not having any scheme for their welfare. In order to ensure their welfare, a cashew workers welfare board may be set up under Ministry of Labour and Employment.
I request the Government to consider the suggestions placed before the House.
*SHRI M. UDHAYAKUMAR (DINDIGUL): I have been elected from Dindigul constituency of Tamil Nadu State by the blessing of Our Supremo Honourable Chief Minister Dr. Puratchi Thalaivi Ammaji (J. Jayalalitha) of Tamil Nadu who has dedicated her life solely for Tamil People’s growth which is very clear in her very slogan “Makkalukaha Naan, Makkalal Naan” that means “I am for the people and I am by the People”. Her vision is “Peace, Progress and Prosperity (Shanti, Vikas Aur Unnathi)”. Honourable Prime Minister of India too imitates Our Supremo Honourable Chief Minister Dr. Puratchi Thalaivi Ammaji (J. Jayalalitha) of Tamil Nadu saying “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”.
I feel that it was the Golden Time in the Indian History when Honourable Finance Minister Arun Jaitely announced the General Budget on 10th July in the House of Honour for the year 2014-15.
Honourable Finance Minister explicitly explained in his prologue, “He did not want to burden common man” . On the other hand he started that it was a vision statement that aimed at giving a fillip to infrastructure, manufacturing and re-establishing confidence in the Indian Economy.
It is a directional budget. He laid stress on Education and policies of girl child which is long back introduced by Our Supremo Honourable Chief Minister Dr. Puratchi Thalaivi Ammaji (J. Jayalalitha) of Tamil Nadu “Thottil Kuzhanthai Thittam, Mahalir Padukappu Thittam”, etc. (Cradle Child Scheme, Women Protection).
The Centre should concentrate and support us with Funds to develop the following in my constituency:
1. Introducing Rope Car is much welcome, between Palani and Kodaikanal Hill Station.
2. The NH road from Coimbatore to Dingigul can be extended to ECR via Natham, Kottampatti, Singampunari, Thirupattur, Karaikudi.
3. Dindigul being thickly populated city will be the ideal place to become Smart City. Kindly it can be taken into consideration.
4. Dindigul being an industrial City, wish to have an airport.
5. Kodaikannal, being the princess of Hills, there should be a Helipad alongwith the development of Tourism Centre.
6. A Special Tourism Centre should be created in Palani, being the Shrine of Lord Muruga (Kartik/Subramaniyan).
7. For the past 2 years there no rain in some parts of our constituency whereby the Centre and Private Sectors open some industries to support these areas.
Honourable Finance Minister announced Revised Direct and Indirect taxes along with Custom Duties for various items. On Tobacco and on Alcohol the taxes are increased as they badly affect our health. On the Essential Provisions and on day-today commodities the tax is much reduced. By this we can conclude that the Honourable Finance Minister has taken into consideration all walks of men in India and prepared a Perfect Budget to keep all Happy, Healthy and Progressive.
Finally, I would like to thank our Supremo Honourable Chief Minister Dr. Puratchi Thalaivi Ammaji (J. Jayalalitha) of Tamil Nadu who brought us to this status.
SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO (SHIRUR): Respected Chairman, Sir, I am thankful to you for giving me this opportunity to express my views on behalf of my party Shiv Sena and the party leader, Shri Uddhavji Thackeray, on the Union Budget presented by the hon. Finance Minister.
The overwhelming mandate given to this Government surely was in the background of high inflation, rising food prices and reviving the growth of India. After years of lackluster growth, missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential, finally the Indian economy and its people have the roadmap, which can truly transform this nation.
The Finance Minister clearly stated that it would not be wise to expect that everything can be done or must be done in the first Budget as this Government is just 45 days old, and he has boldly accepted the challenge to bring the fiscal deficit down to 4.1 per cent for the current fiscal year.
The steps that have been announced in this Budget are only the beginning of a journey towards the sustained growth of seven to eight per cent or above within next three to four years.
Today, the people in India are in no mood to suffer unemployment, inadequate basic amenities, lack of infrastructure and pathetic governance. It is evident that this Budget believes in creating an environment conducive to boost the important sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, defence, employment generation, insurance and housing.
The hon. Finance Minister has covered almost all social sector challenges such as welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, welfare of senior citizens, empowerment of disabled persons, providing incentives to visually challenged, women empowerment, health and family welfare, rural development, education for all and problem of malnutrition etc. Reforms suggested by the hon. Finance Minister in the farming sector such as proposal for agri universities, agri credits, Rural Infrastructure Development Fund, improving warehousing and restructuring the FCI are commendable. We look forward for their implementation at the earliest.
The single-window concept proposed by the Government for faster clearance of files, e-business platforms 24x7, information relating to investment and clearances is appreciated. Special focus on MSME and SME enterprises shall certainly help increase in growth.
India’s success in PPP market has been appreciated globally. We have seen airports; we have seen ports and highways rolled out under this scheme successfully in the past. Now, nine new airports and 16 ports which were announced in this Budget shall be rolled out in a phased manner. Building of expressways linking supply chain to industrial corridors shall be taken up at the earliest. Under the power sector, investment shall be done in renewable energy and ultra mega solar projects. Mining sector needs revision of royalty rates and solutions to the current impasse must be found expeditiously.
However, I would like to draw the kind attention of the hon. Finance Minister to a few suggestions. They are, revival of SEZ is of utmost importance. We have failed to attract investment even after formal announcement of SEZ by the previous Government. Especially, after the introduction of Minimum Alternate Tax and Dividend Distribution Tax in the year 2005, no new sizeable investment has happened. This needs to be debated and discussed at length. We cannot forget our motto for the very existence of the SEZ. “We should export our goods but not the taxes.” This seems to have been forgotten by the previous regime by introducing the MAT and DDT. It is upon this new Government and the Finance Minister in particular to reverse this.
Successive Indian Governments have given a boost to the software industry in the past. This has shown good results. Now it is time that the electronic hardware industry is given a similar boost because most of the nations like China, Korea and Thailand have progressed just because of the electronic hardware industry and their economy has grown just because of this particular industry in which they are masters. We need to take further the vision of our Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Ji who has mentioned about manufacturing good and cheap quality mobile handsets in India. Our vision of competing with China cannot be implemented unless the electronic hardware industry is given necessary concessions in excise duty, customs duty and other statutory benefits. I suggest discussion be initiated on the possibilities of implementation of a policy to benefit this industry and revive growth in this sector.
Another important suggestion I want to make here is that the hon. Finance Minister should also consider extending the benefit of the Urban Renewal Mission which is presently applicable only to cities. On similar lines, the Rural Development Ministry should consider to cover important growing parts of rural India. For example, Gram Panchayats with a population of about 15000 to 25000 and above have a need for improving their sanitation, drainage, waste water management and construction of internal village roads. At present, there is no scheme by the Rural Development Ministry to support the villages and the Gram Panchayats for development of these basic amenities. Now, most of the Gram Panchayats are not capable of taking up these activities on their own due to scarcity of funds.
The fund allocated under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in this year Budget is just Rs.14,000 and odd crore. This seems grossly insufficient and should be increased because the number of roads to be built under this scheme throughout India is much more than expected.
Mr. Chairman, Sir, the hon. Finance Minister has included onion and potatoes in the essential commodity list because of which majority of the farming community is unhappy as they feel the prices of these two commodities will fall down. I would request the hon. Finance Minister, through you, Sir, to safeguard the interests of the farmers by fixing Minimum Support Price.
The last point I want to make here is that the MPLAD fund available to each MP is Rs.5 crore. This has been so since the last five years. Local area development activities need more funding. For example, the size of the constituency and the population of the constituency in majority of the cases are more. For example, my constituency has more than 1200 villages, 2 blocks of municipal corporation spread over 6000 kms. with 26 lakh population. Meaningful developmental activity cannot be undertaken in this meagre amount. Hence, I request the Finance Minister to consider increasing this amount to a minimum of Rs.10 to Rs.12 crore. I request the hon. Finance Minister, through you, Mr. Chairman, Sir, to look into the above suggestions and include them in the General Budget.
With these words, I support this Budget and thank you.
SHRI MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVANTHI) (ANAKAPALLI): Mr. Chairman, Sir, I rise to support the Union Budget 2014-15 presented by the hon. Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley ji.
Sir, after a long time, the country has got Shri Narendra Modi ji, as the working Prime Minister of India with absolute majority. Till recently, we were having coalition Governments, which were meek and weak. Modi ji is a dynamic and capable people's leader. I am sure, under his able leadership India will become a super-power. I also take this opportunity to pay my obeisance to late N.T. Rama Rao ji, the founder of the Telugu Desam Party. He was the pride of the Telugu people. He has espoused the cause of self-respect among the Telugu people. He is a legend. With his spirit, we will move forward on the path of the economic development in Andhra Pradesh State as well as in Telangana State.
After bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, people of Andhra Pradesh have reposed their confidence in my leader Shri Nara Chandrababu Naidu and gave him the mandate to rule the State. They have chosen him because of his foresight on the economic development of the State. He is an efficient administrator and a capable Chief Minister. After bifurcation, the State has to be rebuilt from the scratch. People have given the charge to Shri Chandrababu Naidu for fulfilling their aspirations. Under his able leadership the new Andhra Pradesh State will again reach greater heights. I am privileged to serve under his leadership.
After bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, both Andhra and Telangana States are suffering from acute power shortage, unemployment, water problems and lack of infrastructure. During the course of five years, I am sure, Shri Modi ji will help both the States. I want to recall that the BJP has also carved out three States from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It was done smoothly. But when Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated, there was a lot of agitation and confusion created among the people which we cannot forget. Andhra Pradesh has been meted out injustice in the matter of bifurcation. The Congress Party has done injustice to the people of Andhra Pradesh. That is why they have paid a heavy price. They have lost deposits in 173 Assembly Constituencies out of 175 Assembly Constituencies in Andhra Pradesh. There is not a single Congress MP in Andhra Pradesh. That shows the anger of the people of Andhra Pradesh. So, thanks to the decision taken by Mrs. Sonia ji.
Now, I welcome the decision of the Government to set up an AIIMS in Andhra Pradesh State. There is also an IIT to be set up. But, there is no mention of an IIM to be set up in the State as per the A.P. Re-organisation Act, 2014. I request the Finance Minister to announce an IIM also for my State while replying to the debate in my Anakapalli constituency in Visakhapatnam district.
I want to say that it is a growth-oriented budget and lays stress on infrastructure, urban development, rural development, ports among others. The allotment of Rs.7,060 crore for smart cities along with giving some concessions to tax payers is a right decision for the growth of the country.
16.00 hrs I request the Finance Minister to choose either two-tier cities or three-tier cities like Yelamanchili, Anakapalli or Narsipatnam.
I also thank the Finance Minister for providing Rs.100 crore for modernisation ofmadarasas which is a higher allocation than what the UPA Government had provided.
During the ten years of the UPA Government’s rule, economy has collapsed, the value of the rupee has slided down, the Government's debt has increased three fold and the prices of essential commodities have gone up very high, making the life of common man miserable.
16.01 hrs (Shri Konakalla Narayana Rao in the Chair) I am somewhat disappointed that only a token grant of Rs.1,140 crore was mentioned towards meeting the budget deficit of Andhra Pradesh State. Our hon. Chief Minister, Shri Chandrababu Naidu, wanted the Centre to bridge the gap of revenue deficit by giving special grants. I request the Finance Minister to address this problem in right earnest. Since bifurcation of the State was done by Government of India, it is the responsibility of the Central Government to co-operate with Andhra Pradesh to render equal justice to both the States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
I thank the Finance Minister for sanctioning funds for Krishnapatnam Industrial Star City. I also thank the Finance Minister for providing an industrial corridor between Visakhapatnam and Chennai. I want the Finance Minister to extend it up to Srikakulam because the districts of Vizianagaram and Srikakulam are very backward districts. I also thank the Finance Minister for providing funds for the development Kakinada Port. I am grateful to the Finance Minister for sanctioning a National Excise and Customs Academy at Hindupur.
I thank the Finance Minister for giving a small tax benefit to the people by raising slabs. I am sure that the Finance Minister will address the fiscal deficit. Some people say that it is a big amount, but a good portion of it is interest costs and subsidies. Subsidies are not changed right now. The question is how we can reduce the subsidies and how unproductive they are. The Finance Minister has promised that he will fix things by more focused food and fuel subsidy. I welcome this initiative.
I welcome the promise given by the Finance Minister that he will fix food inflation by reforming the FCI and the Public Distribution System. As predicted by weather experts, 2014 will be a drought year. The question is whether he will be able to do it. The monsoon is 43 per cent below normal right now. I am sure that he will be able to do it.
Regarding MGNREGA issue of how we can guarantee employment by paying people for doing very little, I would say that it has been addressed by saying that the money will be spent but for the creation of more productive assets linked to agriculture. I welcome this.
The Finance Minister has also promised single-window customs clearance, which should ease regulatory pains for importers. I also welcome the initiative of the Finance Minister for a better tax assessment, including advance rulings and defined committees for settlement.
I welcome the initiative of the Finance Minister to spend Rs. 500 crore for giving training to the elementary school teachers. To set up five IITs and five IIMs, the allocation of Rs.500 crore is made. I thank the Finance Minister for sanctioning one IIT and one AIIMS type institution in my State, Andhra Pradesh. I request the Finance Minister to consider setting up an IIM also in accordance with the promise made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, at least, in the supplementary budget.
I welcome easing the tax litigation process, which is a good thing. It is also good that he has talked of creating a single window clearance. There is also a single Government portal planned by 31st December, where you will be able to get all the clearances if you need to run a business, and also pay fees online.
I welcome the introduction of a bankruptcy law for small companies which can be shut down faster. I welcome the initiative for a shipping policy for encouraging inland and coastal shipping. The purpose is to reduce friction in doing business, and all these are good steps. The Finance Minister wants to disinvest Rs. 43,000 crore in this year and another Rs. 15,000 crore, which will help in bringing down the fiscal deficit.
On account of bifurcation, the State has lost all its major economic assets; inherited huge liability; and is left with no resources even to service the debt. Therefore, I request the Finance Minister to declare Andhra Pradesh as a special category State for much needed relief to economy for 15 years.
As per Section 94 of A.P. Reorganization Act, 2014, the Central Government shall take appropriate fiscal measures including offer of tax incentives to promote industrialization and economic growth in the State. I request the Finance Minister to issue orders for providing tax incentives and concessions for industrial investments for a period of 15 years to enable the State to move ahead on the path of development.
I also request the Finance Minister to announce the sanctioning of an amount of Rs. 5,000 crore during the current year's Budget under Special Development Package. I also request the Finance Minister to convert the loan amount of Rs. 10,090 crore as grant. Our hon. Chief Minister has promised to waive loans of farmers. I request the Finance Minister and the RBI to help us in this matter by giving additional grants to fulfill this promise.
In today's federal India, the residual Andhra Pradesh is the only State without a capital city. We require a huge amount of money for constructing the capital city, and we request the Government to give us liberal grants to construct the same.
I request the Minister to provide a special package -- tax holidays for 15 years -- and other benefits, which have been mentioned in the A.P. Reorganization Bill, 2014. In this connection, our hon. Chief Minister has already met you to expedite these issues.
Regarding the Polavaram Project, you have allocated only Rs. 250 crore in this Budget. It is a multipurpose and very useful project for the residual Andhra Pradesh. Hence, I would request you to increase its budget to Rs. 2,500 crore to complete this project within the next five years.
Finally, I totally agree with Shri Patil that our constituencies are very big. There are 374 newly elected MPs in this Lok Sabha, and the MPLAD fund presently is only Rs. 5 crore. I would request you -- on behalf of the newly elected MPs -- to please increase this allocation, at least in your tenure, from Rs. 5 crore to Rs. 7 crore as a token of encouragement for all the newly elected Lok Sabha MPs.
With these words, I support the General Budget, 2014, and thank you very much for giving me this opportunity.
SHRI A.P. JITHENDER REDDY (MAHABUBNAGAR): Sir, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity. First of all, I congratulate Shri Arun Kumar Jaitley, Finance Minister, and Shri Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India for presenting the maiden Budget speech of the NDA Government. The main emphasis was to boost the salaried class; agriculture and industries, particularly, the manufacturing sector. I, on behalf of the TRS Party, wish them all success in their endeavours.
Telangana, being a new State of the Indian Federation, expected a lot of support in terms of financial and fiscal measures, and infrastructure in terms of roads, education, health, irrigation and social sectors. However, it was virtually blank for our State. Even the issues, which were mandated by the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 have not found place in the Budget except the Horticulture University. It is not understood as to why my State of Telangana has been singled-out with this treatment. Mandated projects like improving road infrastructure, rail coach factories, steel plant, power plant, tribal university and tax incentives do not find place in this Budget nor any special package was announced for the backward areas of Telangana, which is about 85 per cent of the State’s geographical area and 75 per cent of the population. We had also flagged several issues before the Prime Minister, but there is no mention of any Central support to them.
Sir, we have asked the hon. Prime Minister to give ‘Special Category’ status to Telangana. After the division of the State, both Telangana and the residual State of Andhra Pradesh should be treated at par for the purpose of declaring them as ‘Special Category’ States.
The eight backward districts of Telangana should get Backward Region Development Grants.
Pranahita-Chevella project should be declared as a national project. This project will irrigate more than 16 lakh acres in drought-affected districts of Telangana. Therefore, it should be declared as a national project.
Tax incentive for industrialisation of Telangana is a commitment under Section 94 (1) of the A.P. Reorganisation Act. These incentives should be similar to those given to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
As you know, there is power shortage in Telangana. We have requested for the setting up of a 4,000 MW power plant in Telangana. The Central Government has committed that NTPC will set up this 4,000 MW power plant in Telangana. The project implementation should be initiated, including grants of coal linkage.
As per the A.P. Reorganisation Act, “There shall be a separate High Court for the residual State of Andhra Pradesh”. Therefore, immediate action should be initiated to create a High Court for the State of Andhra Pradesh.
The city of Hyderabad is to be developed as a major growth centre and as a global city. It has to be slum-free and have the requisite urban infrastructure. The Government of India has been requested to draw up a comprehensive plan for the city by taking inputs from the State.
Now, I will talk about the Musi River. Everybody spoke about the amount which has been allocated to rejuvenate the Ganga River. There are many rivers in Telangana like the Krishna,the Tungabhadra, the Godavari and also the Musi. The Gujarat Government has improved the Sabarmati Riverfront. On similar lines, the Musi River Conservation Plan may be sanctioned by the National Rivers Conservation Directorate at a cost of Rs. 923 crore.
Setting up of a Tribal University in Telangana is a commitment under Section 93 of the A.P. Reorganisation Act. The Government of Telangana will provide necessary land for it.
The other demands relate to the development of roads and highways in Telangana; setting up of SAIL Steel Plant in Bayyaram, Khammam; rail projects in Telangana; and the issues relating to forest land. We have placed these demands before the Prime Minister and the President. We really thought that at least some of these demands will find some place in the Budget. But none of them has been accepted and given to Telangana.
Our friend and colleague, Shri Srinivas, who spoke just now from Seemandhra’s side, had thanked you many a time. I was counting the number of times that he thanked you; he thanked you nearly seven to eight times. However, we cannot even thank you for one reason because we did not get anything. We have not got a single thing in this Budget.
फाइनेंस मिनिस्टर जी को मालूम है। He was part of it and without his help, we could not have got Telangana. He also helped us to get Telangana. You have played a very crucial role in getting us Telangana on that particular day, when the Bill was in Rajya Sabha. We are only one-and-a-half months’ old now. जैसे बच्चों को फैरेक्स और सीरियल देते हैं, पोषक देते हैं, वैसे अभी आपसे थोड़ा धन पोषक मांगते हैं। There is much to be said, like प्रधान मंत्री ग्राम सड़क योजना के अंदर आपने पैसा दिया। You have given Rs. 8,000 crore for housing scheme; you have given Rs. 2,1 00 crore for watershed; you have given Rs. 3,600 crore for National Drinking Water Mission; and also, you have talked about setting up of four new AIIMS-like institutions. But Telangana has not been given any AIIMS-like institution. When we asked about this question, our Health Minister said that we have good facilities in Hyderabad and said that Seemandhra people do not have such facilities. In reality, there are so many cities in Seemandhra which have Super Speciality Hospitals like those in Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Vijayawada etc. In the same way, you have given 5 new IITs. You have not given even a single IIT to our State.
HON. CHAIRPERSON : Please conclude.
SHRI A.P. JITHENDER REDDY : Sir, we welcome the Price Stabilization Fund which was given for the benefit of the farmers. You have given Rs. 5000 crore for good warehousing facilities. Defence has been allocated Rs. 2,29,000 crore and you have Rs. 3,000 crore for the State police reforms. I think you have to enhance it.
You have given Rs. 100 crore for linking of rivers. I was in the NDA from 1999 to 2004. Shri Suresh Prabhu was given the special task of interlinking of rivers and a lot of money had been spent in linking of rivers. A DPR had already been made at that particular point of time. Instead of preparing the DPR, I think funds should be allocated to get it implemented because the linking of rivers will help in irrigating the fallow lands.
Sir, you have raised the Tax Exemption Limit to Rs. 2,50,000. Everybody was thinking that Tax Exemption Limit will be raised to Rs. 5,00,000. I hope you will reconsider to raise the limit.
As you understand very well, after 60 years of struggle, we have achieved this new State. Nearly 1200 people have sacrificed their lives for this State. It is our duty to rebuild Telangana. The State of Telangana has been neglected for so many years. All our rivers, our employment opportunities and other things have been snatched away from our State. Now, we have to start from day one. Hence, we request the Finance Minister to give special attention to Telangana and as you have been a part of formation of Telangana, you should be a part of giving a heavy Budget also to Telangana. With this, I support the Budget.
श्री मोहम्मद सलीम (रायगंज) : माननीय सभापति, चुनाव के बाद नई सरकार इस देश की समस्या को हल करने के लिए निर्णायक भूमिका लेगी, ऐसे वादे देश के समक्ष रखे गए थे। लोगों के अंदर उम्मीदें भी थी। यह बात सच है कि सरकार की तरफ माननीय सदस्य और मंत्री जी भी कह रहे हैं कि सिर्फ45दिन हुए हैं, पूरी समस्या का आकलन करके निर्णय निकालकर समाधान सोचा नहीं जा सकता है। आप तो सरकार में आने वाले ही थे लेकिन सरकार के आने तक रास्ता कैसे तय करना है इसका रोड मैप आपके पास था। सरकार बनाने के बाद सरकार कैसे चलाएंगे, उसका रोड मैप आपके पास नहीं था, ऐसा मैं नहीं मानता हूं।
यहां जब कांग्रेस के पक्ष की तरफ से यह कहा गया कि लोगों ने डिसाइसिवली जब यह डिसाइड किया कि उन्हें बदलाव चाहिए और आपने भी ऐसे वायदे किये। आपके भाषण के पहले पैरा को छोड़कर इस बजट से ऐसा लगता है कि आपका कांटिन्युटी के पक्ष में डीप कमिटमैन्ट है। पिछले दो-ढाई दशक से इस देश में जो अर्थ नीति चल रही है, फिस्कल पालिसी चल रही है, यहां तक कि पिछली सरकार ने जो इंटरिम बजट रखा, उनके जो टारगेट्स थे, उनकी जो स्कीम्स थीं, जैसे श्री ज्योतिरादित्य सिंधिया ने कहा, आपने उन तमाम चीजों को भी वैसा ही रखने की कोशिश की है। इससे हमारे लिए कोई फर्क नहीं पड़ता, हम तो ऐसा ही समझते थे कि यह आसन का बदलाव हुआ है, लेकिन नीतिगत परिवर्तन इतना आसान नहीं है। आपके इस बजट का जो फलसफा है, उससे भी यह स्पष्ट होता है। आपके लिए टैक्स जीडीपी रेश्यो को बदलने का मौका था। हमारे देश में और अधिकतर जो विकसित और विकासशील देश हैं, उनके अनुसार आप वह हमारे देश में भी कर सकते थे। लेकिन उस तरफ आप नहीं गये।
अभी प्रधान मंत्री जी जब ब्राजील से ब्रिक्स सम्मेलन से कुछ उपलब्धि लेकर लौटेंगे तो यह समझा जायेगा कि हमारे लिए जो ऐसे देश हैं, जिनके साथ हम एक साथ चलने की शपथ लेते हैं, वहां क्या स्थिति है। जो रेवेन्यू फोरगॉन जिसके बारे में हम बात कर रहे हैं, हमारा पूरा प्लान का साइज और बड़े लोगों को जो टैक्स की छूट है, वह भी जिस तरह से बढ़ती जा रही है, जो कांग्रेस की सरकार के समय और यूपीए-2 के समय में थी, उसी के अनुसार आपने भी उसे बरकरार रखा है। यह पिछले साल का आकलन है। लेकिन अगले साल के बारे में भी आपने ऐसा कोई प्रस्ताव नहीं रखा कि कारपोरेट को जो टैक्स की छूट है, उसे आप कहां तक कम करेंगे। जब आप जनसाधारण के लिए, गांव के लिए, गरीब जनता के लिए, पिछड़े वर्ग के विकास के लिए संसाधन की कमी की बात कहते हैं तो संसाधन कहां से जुटाये जा सकते थे और कहां लीकेज हो रहे हैं, उसे जो आपको एड्रैस करना था, मैं आपका ध्यान उधर आकर्षित करना चाहता हूं।
महोदय, हमारी जीडीपी का पांच प्रतिशत टैक्स फोरगॉन है, वह आपने छोड़ दिया और रिबेट्स और कंसेशंस की और कितने किस्म की स्कीम्स हैं, तरीके हैं, उन्हें आप इस बार भी कन्टिन्यू करना चाह रहे हैं। जब आपको गवर्नेन्स की तरफ ध्यान देना था, सरकार बनाने के समय आपने कहा था कि हम गवर्नेन्स के ऊपर जोर देंगे। लेकिन आपकी सरकार आने के बाद हम देखते हैं कि गवर्नेन्स के बजाय आप गवर्नर्स के ऊपर ज्यादा जोर दे रहे हैं कि कहां कितने गवर्नर्स बदले जाएं और किनको आप वृद्धावास योजना में भेजें।
महोदय, काले धन के बारे में बहुत भाषण हुए। सिर्फ योगगुरू के भाषण ही नहीं, बहुत से आंकड़े भी बताये गये। लेकिन इस बजट में भी आप पिछली सरकार के जैसा ही कार्य कर रहे हैं। काले धन को निकालना...(व्यवधान)एक जैसा है, सिर्फ हाथ और कमल निशानी में फर्क है, पालिसी में बता रहे हैं कि आपने कोई फर्क नहीं रखा। काला धन जहां से उत्पन्न होता है, जहां यह उगाया जाता है, उसकी तरफ आपने ध्यान नहीं दिया। मैं सिर्फ आपको ध्यान देने के बारे में कह रहा हूं। ...(व्यवधान)
श्री गणेश सिंह(सतना) : आप नाम भी बता दीजिए।
श्री मोहम्मद सलीम : मालूम नहीं हैं, एक सदस्य का नाम लेकर तो आपने बवाल मचा दिया था, फिर मैं क्यों नाम बोलूं। काले धन वाले सिर्फ उधर हैं या इधर हैं, ऐसी बात नहीं है, ये पूरे देश में हैं, विदेश में भी भेजे गये हैं और आपके पास वह लिस्ट है और शेष आप मंगवाने की कोशिश भी कर रहे हैं। मैं नहीं समझता कि बजट में आप सब कुछ कह सकते थे, मैं ऐसा दावा भी नहीं करता हूं। लेकिन काला धन जहां से पैदा होता है और जहां चलता है, हमारे देश में पैरेलल इकोनोमी है। आप आज जब इंफ्लेशन, महंगाई और होर्डिंग की बात कर रहे हैं, डीहोर्डिंग की बात कर रहे हैं तो उसमें भी काले धन की एक बहुत बड़ी भूमिका है। मैं उसे एडजस्ट करने के बारे में कह रहा हूं, मैं यह नहीं कह रहा हूं कि हमारे पास योजना है, उसे आप लागू कीजिए। यह आपकी जिम्मेदारी है। आपकी सरकार वचनबद्ध है। मैं आपकी सरकार की वचनबद्धता को दोहरा रहा हूँ। इसमें आपत्ति की कोई बात नहीं है। आपने उसके बजाय फिस्कल कंसोलिडेशन की बात कही है। वही टारगेट 4.1नहीं, अगले तीन साल का भी जो टारगेट है, वहीं पर आपने ध्यान दिया। वह ज्यादातर फाइनेंस कैपिटल के निर्देशित रास्ते से है। आपकी सरकार का जो खर्च है, एक्पेंडिचर है, उसको कम कर के और उसका मतलब है कि सीधे-सीधे जो इंतजार कर रहे थे कि सरकार आने के बाद सरकार से कुछ मिलेगा, उनको कुछ नहीं मिला। अगर आज़ादी के60-65सालों तक नहीं मिला, अब मिलने वाला है, तो उनके प्रति उचित नहीं हो रहा है। अगर आप एक्सपेंडिचर को कम करते हैं और उसमें आपके सामने जो चुनौती है, इस देश के सामने जो चुनौती है जैसे मुद्रास्फीति,बेरोज़गारी, जो आर्थिक मंदी चल रही है, उस चुनौती को अगर आप स्वीकार करते हैं तो उसके लिए जो रास्ते आपको निकालने थे, जो इनोवेटिव तरीके अपनाने थे, उसके बारे में आप ज्यादा मेहन के रास्ते पर नहीं गए, बल्कि शॉर्टकट अपनाया है। पुराने ढांचे को ही आपने रखने की कोशिश की है। आप कहते हैं कि हमारा रेवन्यु16प्रतिशत होगा। कहां से होगा?ज्यादातर आंकड़े आपके इंट्रिम बजट के हैं, उन्हीं को आपने रखा है। आप जीडीपी की कितनी ग्रोथ करना चाहते है? अगर रियल जीडीपी ग्रोथ 5पर्सेंट होती है और आपने टैक्स में अगर फेरबदल नहीं किया, सामान्यतः वह 14 हज़ार776करोड़ रूपये है। जिसमें अगर 5पर्सेंट रियल टर्म में जीडीपी ग्रोथ होता है तो 16 पर्सेंट में कैसे हो सकता है। हम चिदम्बरम जी से सुनते आए हैं कि टैक्स बॉयन्स होंगे, बहुत ज्यादा कलैक्शंस होंगे। पिछले दो साल के रैवन्यु कलेक्शन के आंकडें देखें, और आप खुद कह रहे हैं कि इतने ज्यादा मैजिकल डिवेप्लमेंट नहीं होंगे। जो मैन्युफैक्चरिंग सैक्टर की स्थिति है, जो हमारे उद्योगों की स्थिति है, जो आर्थिक मंदी की स्थिति है, उसमें आप 16 प्रतिशत कहां से ले आएंगे?आपने जो आंकड़ें रखे हैं, मैं उसी पर कह रहा हूँ।13.4प्रतिशत की जो नॉमिनल जीडीपी ग्रोथ की प्रोजेक्शन है, उसमें मैं नहीं समझता हूँ कि आपने रैवन्यु कलैक्शन का जो टारगेट रखा है, वह पूरा होने वाला है। मैं इसलिए यह कह रहा हूँ किonce bitten, twice shy. हमने पिछली सरकार के ज़माने में देखा है, एनडीए के ज़माने में देखा है, दशकों से हम देख रहे हैं कि जो सरकारी आंकड़े रखे जाते हैं, सामाजिक क्षेत्र के लिए, विकास के लिए, शिक्षा के लिए, स्वास्थ के लिए, ग्रामीण उद्योग के लिए, बाद में उसमें कटौती कर के आप अपने फिस्कल डिसिप्लेन को बरकरार रखने की कोशिश करते हैं। जो आंकड़ें आप आज दे रहे हैं, जो स्कीम आप घोषित कर रहे हैं, वहां भी वह सरकार अंत तक खर्च करेगी, ऐसा हमें दिखता नहीं है। आपने चुनावों में तो घोषणा की थी कि सबके साथ, सबका विकास। लेकिन अभी ऐसा हो रहा है कि सबके पर्स, विकसित के पास। जो रिच है, सुपर रिच है, उनके पास जाने का इंतजाम हो रहा है। गरीबों से ले कर अमीरों को देने का रास्ता, जिसको पिछली सरकार ने अपनाया और जिससे उनको सजा भी मिली, आप उस रास्ते से हटते हुए काम करें। जिन्होंने आपको समर्थन दिया और जिन्होंने समर्थन नहीं भी दिया, वे लोग यह चाह रहे थे कि एक परिवर्तन हो। परिवर्तन का मतलब है कि आप एक नई दिशा की ओर, नई ऊर्जा ले कर, नए जोश के साथ नए तरीके अपनाएंगे। लेकिन हमें ऐसा लगता है कि ऐसा न कर के आपने चुनावों में लोगों के सामने जो वायदे रखे थे, उनको पूरा करने के बजाय आप पुराने घिसे-पिटे रास्ते पर ही चले। जिसके कारण चाहे वह मनरेगा हो, चाहे कृषि के विकास का सवाल हो, चाहे वह शिडय़ुल कास्ट्स, शिडय़ुल ट्राइब्स या अल्पसंख्यकों के विकास का मामला हो। ...(व्यवधान)मैं देख रहा हूँ कि सरकार कह रही है कि हमने 1हज़ार करोड़ रूपये बढ़ा कर 33 हज़ार करोड़ से 34 हज़ार करोड़ रूपये कर दिए। पिछले साल जिन लोगों ने काम किया, मनरेगा में5हज़ार करोड़ रूपये का बकाया है। आप जो पुरानी सरकार का बोझ कह रहे हैं, तो 33 हज़ार करोड़ प्लस 5हज़ार करोड़ 38हज़ार करोड़ रूपये का बजट हो गया।तो इस बार 34 हजार करोड़ करके आप क्या कर रहे हैं?इस बार तो अगर इन्फ्लेशन को दिमाग में न भी रखें तो43हजार करोड़ रूपए रखने चाहिए थे, सिर्फ पिछले स्तर को बनाये रखने के लिए। सरकार यह कह रही है कि हमने एक हजार करोड़ रूपए बढ़ा दिए, लेकिन रियल टर्म में वह घट गया। इसी तरह से एसटी और एसटी के लिए प्लानिंग कमीशन की जो गाइडलाइंस थी, पॉपुलेशन के तहत प्रपोर्शनेटली एलोकेशन, उसमें भी कमी आयी है। शेडय़ूल कास्ट के लिए 47 हजार करोड़ रूपए, शेडय़ूल ट्राइब्स के लिए14हजार करोड़ रूपए रखे हैं। सरकार शेडय़ूल कास्ट, शेडय़ूल ट्राइब्स के विकास की बात कर रही है, प्लानिंग कमीशन की गाइड लाइन्स सरकार कैसे मानेगी क्योंकि अभी तक तो प्लानिंग कमीशन ही वास्तविकता में देखने को नहीं मिल रहा है। इसी तरह से अल्पसंख्यक के बारे में कहना चाहूंगा कि सरकार एक सौ करोड़ मदरसा माडर्नाइजेशन, नाम और स्कूल, स्किल डेवलपमेंट के नाम से कर रही है।
HON. CHAIRPERSON : Shri Salim, please conclude now.
श्री मोहम्मद सलीम : प्लान बजट का 0.7 परसेंट, इंटायर माइनेरिटीज डेवलपमेंट के लिए प्लान बजट का 0.7परसेंट वाज एलोकेटेड। इससे सरकार की मंशा पता चलती है।...(व्यवधान)मदरसा के बाहर भी मुसलमानों को आप देखें कि...(व्यवधान)मॉडर्न टेक्नोलॉजी, मॉडर्न एजुकेशन, मॉडर्न स्किल, मॉडर्न इंडिया के मॉडर्न सिटीजन की तरह उसे तैयार करने के लिए क्या करना होगा?मैं समझता हूं कि उस दिशा में आप कदम उठायेंगे।
*श्री गणेश सिंह (सतना)- मैं अपने विचार आम बजट 2014-15 में रखते हुये माननीय वित्त मंत्री श्री अरूण जेटली जी द्वारा प्रस्तुत बजट का पूर्णतः समर्थन करता हूँ तथा उनकी सराहना करते हुये कहना चाहता हूँ कि यू.पी.ए. सरकार ने जिस तरह से देश की अर्थव्यवस्था को पटरी से बाहर कर दिया था, जिससे मुद्रास्फीति बढ़ रही थी, आय से अधिक व्यय हो रहा था, रूपये का दाम निरंतर नीचे गिर रहा था, विकास की गति अत्यंत धीमी हो गई थी, रोज़गार के सारे अवसर समाप्त हो रहे थे, महंगाई नियंत्रण से बाहर हो गई थी।
ऐसे कठिन और विपरीत समय में इतना अच्छा बजट प्रस्तुत कर, उन्होंने प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी जी के द्वारा चुनाव के समय कही गई सारी बातों को बजट में शामिल कर देश की अर्थव्यवस्था को पटरी में लाने का जो अभिनव प्रयोग किया है, इसके लिए माननीय वित्तमंत्री जी का जितना धन्यवाद किया जाये कम है।
पिछले 10 वर्षों के बाद यह देखने को मिला है, जब देशवासी बजट की खुली आलोचना नहीं कर पाये और न ही अर्थशास्त्रियों ने बड़ा कटाक्ष किया। यह बजट अर्थव्यवस्था के सुधार तथा विकास पर आधारित है। यह बजट मात्र 8 माह के लिये है, इससे श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी जी की सरकार की भावी रणनीति का पूरा खुलासा होता दिखाई दे रहा है।
देश की विकास दर यू.पी.ए. की गलत नीतियों के कारण4.7 प्रतिशत तक जा चुकी है। जबकि अब इसे बढ़ाकर8 प्रतिशत तक लाने का लक्ष्य रखा गया है। चालू वित्तीय घाटा को2 प्रतिशत पर रखना होगा, सरकारी खर्च कम करने होंगे।
देश में 3.80 करोड़ लोग टैक्स देते हैं। इस बजट से हर किसी को राहत दी गई है, टैक्स देने वाले लोगों में भारी उत्साह है। अर्थव्यवस्था को मजबूत करने के लिए मध्यम एवं छोटे उद्योगों को बढ़ाने, बिजली उत्पादन में जो लोग पैसा लगायेंगे, उन्हें टैक्स में रियायत दी जायेगी।
एक्साइज डय़ूटी कम की जायेगी, इससे देश में उत्पादन बढ़ेगा।
बैंक अभी मात्र58 प्रतिशत लोगों तक पहुँच पाये हैं, इन्हें 90 से100 प्रतिशत लोगों तक पहुँचाने की व्यवस्था की जायेगी।
सामाजिक क्षेत्र में जो योजनाएं चल रही हैं, उन्हें और बढ़ाया जायेगा।
बचत को बढ़ावा देने के लिए छूट1.50 लाख कर दी गई।
हाउसिंग लोन की ब्याज दर कम की जायेगी, ताकि मकानों के दाम सस्ते हो सकें। ब्लैक मनी लाने के लिए एस.आई.टी. का गठन कर दिया गया, जो यू.पी.ए. सरकार4 साल से टाल रही थी।
बजट में स्मार्ट शहर बनाने की घोषणा की गई है, मेरे लोक सभा क्षेत्र सतना और रीवा की दूरी50 किलोमीटर है, मैहर 35 किलोमीटर है, अमरपाटन 30 किलोमीटर है, इसी बीच एक नये स्मार्ट शहर के निर्माण की मांग करता हूँ।
पेयजल एवं स्वच्छता के तहत जो ऐसे 20 हजार बसाहटों को सामुदायिक जल सुदृढ़ीकरण संयंत्रों को लगाकर जो शुद्ध पेयजल मुहैया कराया जाना है, उसके तहत मेरे जिले सतना के कई ऐसे गांव हैं, जहाँ आर्सेनिक, फ्लोराइड होने के कारण पानी विषैला हो गया है। उन बसाहटों को चिन्हित कर योजना में शामिल किया जाये।
जिले के 500 आबादी वाले हर गांव को प्रधानमंत्री सड़क से जोड़ा जाये।
जिले में 100 बिस्तरों वाला मात्र एक जिला अस्पताल है, जबकि उसे 400 बिस्तरों वाला बनाया जाना आवश्यक है, और नये अस्पताल भवन बनाने की जरूरत है।
उच्च शिक्षा के क्षेत्र में हमारा जिला बहुत पीछे है, केन्द्र सरकार ने देश में5-5 आई.आई.टी. तथा आई.आई.एम. खोलने का निर्णय लिया है। हमारे क्षेत्र में भी इन दोनों में से एक संस्था का निर्माण कराया जाये।
शहरी विकास को ध्यान में रखते हुए सतना नगर निगम क्षेत्र में सीवर लाइन तथा शहर के मध्य बने नाले के सौंदर्यकरण हेतु नये प्रोजेक्ट को स्वीकृति दी जाये। इसी तरह नगर पालिका मैहर में पेयजल एवं सीवर लाइन तथा नगर पंचायत क्षेत्र चित्रकूट, जैतवारा, कोठी, नागौद, उचेहरा, रामपुर बाघेलान, अमरपाटन एवं रामनगर में पेयजल एवं सीवर लाइन की समस्या के समाधान हेतु आई.डी.आई.एस.एम.टी. योजना में शामिल किया जाये।
सतना नगर में फ्लाई ओवर, जैतवरा में बाई पास फ्लाई ओवर, मैहर में रिंग रोड, अमरपाटन में बाई पास रोड के निर्माण कार्य हेतु शहरी विकास मंत्रालय अथवा राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग मंत्रालय से स्वीकृति दिलाई जाये।
जिले के अंदर शहरी एवं ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में बड़ी संख्या में आवास विहीन परिवारों की संख्या है, सबको पक्का मकान देने की योजना में शामिल किया जाये। कृषि के क्षेत्र में जिले के अंदर एक कृषि अनुसंधान केन्द्र कृषि महाविद्यालय के साथ खोले जाने की लम्बे समय से मांग है, जिसे पूरा किया जाये।
मेरे जिले में बरगी बांधी की दांये तट नहर से सिंचाई प्रस्तावित है, किंतु इस परियोजना को राष्ट्रीय परियोजना में शामिल करने की 2010 से मैं कर रहा हूँ। राज्य सरकार ने भी अपना प्रस्ताव भेजा है, केंद्र सरकार के जल संसाधन मंत्रालय तथा वित्त मंत्रालय में लगभग4000 करोड़ की योजना विचाराधीन है, उसकी स्वीकृति कराई जाये।
जिले में नये रोज़गार के सृजन हेतु फूड प्रोसेसिंग पार्क एवं लघु एवं सीमांत उद्योगों की स्थापना हेतु नये पार्क का निर्माण कराया जाये, ताकि स्थानीय पूंजी निवेश को बढ़ावा मिल सके तथा नये रोज़गार पैदा किये जा सकें।
हमारा जिला एक औद्योगिक जिला है, सतना शहर में एक हवाई अड्डा राज्य सरकार का है, जिसकी लंबाई कम है, उससे अभी वेन्चुरा कम्पनी की हवाई सेवाएं राज्य सरकार द्वारा शुरू की गई है, लेकिन एक नये हवाई अड्डे के निर्माण की आवश्यकता है।
केन्द्रीय सड़क निधि से सतना से सेमरिया, सिरमौर, जवा, शंकरगढ़, इलाहाबाद के लिए नई सड़क का निर्माण कराया जाये तथा उसे राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग घोषित किया जाये।
जल संसाधन विभाग से नदियों को जोड़ने एवं गंगा नदी के संरक्षण हेतु " नमामि गंगे " परियोजना की शुरूआत करने की घोषणा की गई है, उसमें हमारे क्षेत्र की मंदाकिनी नदी को शामिल किया जाये, क्योंकि यह नदी चित्रकूट में है, जहाँ भगवान राम ने वनवास के11 वर्ष बिताये थे। करोड़ों लोग इस पवित्र नदी में स्नान करने आते हैं।
जिले में मैं ग्रामीण खेल प्रतिभाओं को आगे लाने के लिए विभिन्न खेलों का आयोजन कराता रहता हूँ। बजट में नया खेल विश्वविद्यालय बनाने की घोषणा की गई है, उसी से संबंधित एक खेल महाविद्यालय एवं खेल प्राधिकरण की स्थापना सतना में किये जाने की मांग करता हूँ।
*श्री हरिनरायन राजभर (घोसी)- मा. नरेन्द्र मोदी जी के कुशल नेतृत्व में मा. अरूण जेटली द्वारा एक विकसित भारत, एक सुन्दर भारत के निर्माण के लिए आम बजट 2014 में अनेक जनकल्याणकारी योजनाएं सम्मिलित की गई हैं, जिसका मैं स्वागत करता हूँ। खास करके गरीब व्यक्तियों, युवाओं, मध्यवर्गीय समाज एवं रोज़गार को ध्यान में रखकर एक अच्छा बजट पेश किया गया है। मैं यह बताना चाहूँगा कि उत्तर प्रदेश में पूर्वांचल सबसे पिछड़ा क्षेत्र है, जहाँ शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य, रोज़गार का अभाव है। मा. नरेन्द्र मोदी जी को पूर्वांचल से प्रधानमंत्री निर्वाचित होने पर सम्पूर्ण पूर्वांचल वासी अपने आप को गौरवांवित महसूस कर रहे हैं तथा विकास की आस लगाए हुए हैं, जिसके क्रम में वित्त मंत्री जी द्वारा पूर्वांचल में एक नया एम्स प्रस्तावित किया गया है। मैं मा. मंत्री जी से अनुरोध करूँगा कि पूर्वांचल के एक तरफ वाराणसी में बी.एच.यू. तथा दूसरी तरफ गोरखपुर में बी.आर.डी. मेडिकल कॉलेज स्वास्थ्य सेवाएं दे रहे हैं, वहीं पूर्वांचल के मध्य में स्थित मऊ जनपद सहित आस-पास के जनपदो में स्वास्थ्य सेवाओं का अभाव है। इसलिए नये एम्स की स्थापना पूर्वांचल के मऊ जनपद में करायी जाये, जिससे कि पूर्वांचल सहित अन्य प्रदेश के भी लोग स्वास्थ्य लाभ ले सकें।
आपके द्वारा बुनकरों के लिए व्यापार संग्रहालय एवं सहायता, प्रशिक्षण केन्द्र के लिए बजट में प्रावधान किया गया है, जिससे बुनकरों में अपार प्रसन्नता है। मेरे क्षेत्र जनपद मऊ में सबसे अधिक बुनकरों की आबादी है, जो हस्तकरघा व्यवसाय में लगे हैं, किंतु पिछली सरकारों द्वारा इनके हित में कोई ठोस कदम न उठाने से रोज़गार/व्यापार में गिरावट आई है। मैं चाहूँगा कि मऊ में व्यापार संग्रहालय एवं प्रशिक्षण सहायता केन्द्र स्थापित किया जाए एवं इनके द्वारा तैयार वस्तुओं को सरकार द्वारा समर्थन मूल्य पर क्रय किया जाये, जिससे बुनकरों को रोज़गार एवं व्यापार में बढ़ावा मिल सके एवं इन्हें उचित मात्रा में अतिरिक्त विद्युत की व्यवस्था भी की जाये।
मा. वित्त मंत्री जी रोज़गार बढ़ाने के लिए अनेक योजनाओं को प्रारंभ किया जा रहा है। वहीं हमारे क्षेत्र में तीन कॉटन मिलें बंद कर दी गई हैं, जिससे रोज़गार के अवसर तो बंद हुए ही है, बल्कि मिल में कार्य कर रहे कर्मचारियों के परिवार भी भुखमरी के कगार पर पहुँच गये हैं। मैं अनुरोध करूँगा कि उक्त जनपद मऊ व गाजीपुर में बंद पड़ी तीनों कॉटन मिलों का आधुनिकीकरण कर पुनः चालू कराने की आवश्यकता है, जिससे रोज़गार सृजन हो सके।
बजट में सड़क परिवहन को बढ़ाने के लिए राष्ट्रीय राजमार्गों की स्वीकृति व विस्तार पर बल दिया गया है। जिसके क्रम में आग्रह है कि हमारे संसदीय क्षेत्र से होकर जाने वाले राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग सं. 29 जो वाराणसी, सारनाथ, गाजीपुर-मऊ होकर गोरखपुर तक जाता है, पूर्ण रूप से क्षतिग्रस्त हो चुका है, जिसमें2-3 फीट तक गड्ढे हो गये हैं, और जिस पर आवागमन दूभर हो गया है। इसे बजट में स्वीकृति देकर चौड़ीकरण कर निर्माण करने की आवश्यकता है। जिससे वाराणसी सारनाथ व गोरखपुर, कुशीनगर बौद्धस्थल से काशी तक पर्यटन को बढ़ावा मिल सके।
आज़ादी के बाद आज तक हमारे संसदीय क्षेत्र के मऊ शहर से सटे हरकेशपुरा, हनुमानघाट के सामने तमसा नदी के पार लगभग दर्जनों गाँवों के लोग आज भी शहर में स्वास्थ्य, शिक्षा, रोज़गार के लिए आवागमन का साधन एक मात्र नाव है, जिससे आये दिन नाव दुर्घटनाएँ होती रहती हैं। गंभीर मरीज अस्पताल जाने से पहले ही नाव के इंतजार में दम तोड़ देते हैं। इसलिए मऊ शहर के तमसा नदी पर हनुमान घाट के सामने एक पुल निर्माण की अति आवश्यकता है।
सरकार द्वारा शिक्षा के क्षेत्र में बढ़ावा देने के लिए अनेक उपाय किये जा रहे हैं। मेरा क्षेत्र शिक्षा के क्षेत्र में काफी पिछड़ा है। जहाँ शिक्षण संस्थान स्थापना के लिए राजकीय महिला विधि विश्वविद्यालय, पॉलीटैक्निक कॉलेज, मेडिकल कॉलेज तथा बुनकर प्रशिक्षण संस्थान खोलने की आवश्यकता है, जिससे शिक्षा के क्षेत्र का विकास हो सके।
सरकार की सबसे महत्वपूर्ण योजना गंगा सहित अन्य नदियों के प्रदूषित जल को निर्मल व अविरल बनाने के लिए " नमामि गंगे " योजना शुरू की गयी है। मेरे क्षेत्र से होकर बहने वाली तमसा नदी में अवैध पशु वधशाला (Slaughter House)का जैविक कचरा, गंदा खून एवं मल-मूत्र गिरने से प्रदूषित हो चुकी है तथा तमसा नदी आगे चलकर बलिया जनपद में माँ गंगा में मिल जाती है एवं गंगा नदी का अविरल जल भी प्रदूषित हो रहा है। इस नदी के किनारे अनेकों मंदिर व स्नानघाट है, किंतु प्रदूषित जल होने से आचमन व स्नान करना भी दूभर हो गया है। आग्रह है कि तमसा नदी के किनारे अवैध पशु वधशाला को बंद कराकर साफ-सफाई व घाटों का निर्माण कराने की आवश्यकता है।
बजट में सरकार द्वारा विद्युत उत्पादन बढ़ाने पर जोर दिया है, जिससे भविष्य में मांग के सापेक्ष विद्युत व्यवस्था की जा सके। जिसके क्रम में मैं आग्रह करूँगा कि मेरा क्षेत्र जो चारो तरफ नदियों से घिरा है, ऐसे स्थान पर नदी के किनारे एक बड़ी क्षमता वाला विद्युत उत्पादन संयंत्र गृह की स्थापना करने से पूर्वांचल में वितरण व्यवस्था हेतु पर्याप्त विद्युत उत्पादन किया जा सके।
SHRI VARAPRASAD RAO VELAGAPALLI (TIRUPATI): Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Indeed it is a pleasure because the sitting Chairman and I were classmates and are good friends too. I also appreciate and admire the respected Finance Minister, who is the right person for the right job at the right time, for presenting a very balanced Budget. I am not too competent to comment on each and every subject; but the Budget matters which are related directly to my constituency, to my State, I thought, I should comment on.
You have taken some steps for the revival of the Special Economic Zones. Some of them are excessively successful. For instance, the Sri City SEZ is a big success. It is located very close to Chennai. What is happening there? They are not at all considering the local people for jobs. It is extremely unfortunate. The very idea of creating SEZs scattered all over the country is to balance growth and development. So, we are very earnestly requesting the Government of India to evolve a policy and a manufacturing system whereby the SEZs which are enjoying the benefit of the Government by way of land and all that should also consider locals for employment at least where they are eligible. Presently, it happens to be very close to Chennai city but not even one or two posts are considered for the locals. Therefore, I request the Government to consider evolving a system where the local educated people should also be considered for the posts.
As you know very well, presently most of the villages are flooded with engineers and MBAs, thanks to the literacy rate going up. But we are not able to provide them proper employment commensurate to their education. Therefore, since the Government cannot provide all the jobs to all the people, small steps like this will definitely mitigate the problem of the rural people.
Secondly, you have also mentioned about the corporate social responsibility. I have also worked as District Collector for at least three districts for three years. They are doing it but in a very camouflaged manner. What they do is mostly greening up of areas and tree plantations. They are not doing any concrete work as social responsibility in the nearby villages. Therefore, in a similar way, the Government of India could take some steps or evolve a system where they have to really contribute to the nearby villages. For example, roads laying, sanitation, drinking water and even housing can add to the steps taken by the Government. Therefore, once again, I request the Government of India to give a thought to these thereby the corporates which are flourishing now by taking the Government lands could also contribute to the growth of society.
The thrust that you have given for rural employment, according to me, is definitely inadequate. As I was mentioning, thanks to our literacy levels going up, particularly in Andhra Pradesh, almost all the villages have any number of engineers, MBAs and graduates, but we are not able to provide jobs. The worst affected people here are from weaker sections and backward classes. Why? It is because parents, somehow, manage to get education for their children, but they are not able to spend more to send their children to cities, in search of jobs. So, they are compelled to stay back in villages. After one or two years, their education becomes irrelevant. So, I would request the Government, particularly the Finance Minister, to consider more village-related industrial parks, tourist parks, where they provide employment to the people so that their education could be put to use. Otherwise, they are not able to do very menial jobs, at the same time, they are not getting bigger jobs. So, they are sandwiched. The Government should also look at this issue.
Providing 100-days wage employment is definitely inadequate. We have been talking about the same ‘100-days’ for the last 20-30 years, where people like us cannot even wait one-day starvation or even half-a-day starvation. We talk of only one-third provision for the poor people; it is somehow not adequate and it needs our attention. So, round-the-year employment should be provided, whoever asks for it, at least in rural villages.
I have some more points, particularly with regard to the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Sub-Plan. In practice, it has been there for almost 30 years. The Planning Commission has been giving its observations now and then. But where actually it is misleading is, all sorts of things are being put into this Sub-Plan. I will just give one or two points here.
For the National Crop Insurance programme, an amount of Rs.457 crore has been allotted, and hardly anybody in Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe has the land, where the crop insurance requires so much of money. Similarly for the National Food Security Mission, Rs.328 crore has been given. Is food security being considered only for the weaker sections or for anybody else? If it is so for the entire country, I do not think, it should be considered here because every time we say that Rs.50,000 crore has been given to the weaker sections, nothing is happening; still the gap is widening. So, definitely the attention of the Government is required in this aspect, if it wants to bridge the gap.
For National Rural Drinking Water, Rs.2420 crore has been given, but you go to any village now, barring a few habitations of Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribe, there is no habitation where there is adequate drinking water in the whole of my constituency; and I cannot comment about the whole country.
Similar is the case with respect to National Health Mission. In all these things, what I say is this. Bigger projects like irrigation, dams, etc., in the name of people belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, much of the money is being diverted. What I earnestly request here is that to apply our minds, money should not be diverted for such things; it should directly benefit the people; then only, they will come up.
I have two suggestions to make here, after 65 years of Independence – one is, they should consider reservation in employment for these people in the private sector and the second is, to distribute cultivable lands, on priority basis, over the years, so that they will have proper adequate assets and they will not depend on the Government for ever.
I would like to mention here, Sir that I have also worked as a Tourism Commissioner. For a country like us where we have adequate number of tourist spots, five tourist circuits are too small. Since it provides employment in the rural area and everybody can equally participate in tourism – an illiterate can also participate and a five-star hotel also can participate – I would request that at least every State should have minimum of one circuit and some States like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which have more number of tourist spots, should have more such circuits. So, the hon. Minister may kindly consider that. Similarly, religious circuits may also be considered.
We all are very happy that a lot of allocation has been made for the Ganges but a number of other local rivers are being dried up and getting silted up. They also need attention. Even the cattle are running out of fodder. Therefore, de-siltation of the local rivers over the years may be considered while the linking of rivers is already being considered.
Thank you very much, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. I thank my Leader, Shri Jaganmohan Reddy and also my Floor Leader, five times MP, Rajamohan Reddy Garu, for giving me this opportunity. With these few observations, my Party fully supports the Budget.
SHRI CHIRAG PASWAN (JAMUI): Thank you, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to speak on General Budget 2014-15 on behalf of Lok Jan Shakti Party and our national President, hon. Ram Vilas Paswan ji.
महोदय,10 जुलाई को यह आम बजट पेश हुआ। इस पर काफी चर्चा हुई। इसकी तारीफ़ भी हुई तो टीका-टिप्पणी भी हुई। पर तमाम जानकारों की राय को एक तरफ रखते हुए, मैं आम जनता की इस विषय में क्या राय है, वह आपके सामने रखना चाहता हूं। तमाम सदस्यों की तरह पिछले शनिवार-रविवार अपने क्षेत्र में गया, मैं जमुई लोक सभा क्षेत्र का प्रतिनिधित्व करता हूं, मैंने जमुई के लोगों से इस बजट के बारे में उनकी राय जानी। यकीन मानिए, हर एक व्यक्ति की यही राय थी कि न सिर्फ वह इस बजट से संतुष्ट है, बल्कि खुश है। यही राय पूरे बिहार की और पूरे देश की है। जहां-जहां मैं गया हूं, लोगों की यही राय मिली। जैसा कि पिछले दिनों हमारे सम्मानित वित्त मंत्री जी ने एक इंटरव्यू में कहा था कि विकास यात्रा शुरू हो गयी है। इस बार खास बात यह है कि इस विकास यात्रा में कोई वर्ग विशेष या क्षेत्र विशेष की बात नहीं की गयी है, पूरे देश की बात की गयी है। इसमें नमामि गंगा योजना है, तो मदरसों के मॉडर्नाइजेशन की भी बात है। इसमें युवाओं का ज़िक्र है तो महिलाओं का भी रिप्रजेंनटेशन है। बुज़ुर्गों की भी बात की गयी है, तो इसमें किसानों की भी बात की गयी है। मुझे खुशी है कि एक बहुत ही संतुलित बजट इस बार की सरकार ने पेश किया है। एक बहुत ईमानदार अप्रोच है। यह सिर्फ़ एक एनुअल फ़ाइनैंशियल स्टेटमेंट ही नहीं, बल्कि एक स्टेटमेंट ऑफ इनटेनशन है, जिसमें हमारी आगे की योजना क्या है? जो हमने विकास के वायदे किए हैं, उसको हम किस तरह से पूरा करना चाहते हैं, वह इस बजट में दर्शाया गया है।
सभापति जी, मैं जिस प्रदेश से आता हूं, वह बहुत ही पिछड़ा प्रदेश माना जाता है। खास तौर पर मैं जिस क्षेत्र का प्रतिनिधित्व करता हूं, वह उस पिछड़े प्रदेश का सबसे पिछड़ा जिला माना जाता है। हमें हर स्तर पर विकास की ज़रूरत है। मैं जिस प्रदेश से आता हूं, वहां लोग मूलभूत ज़रूरतों के लिए संघर्ष करते हैं। आज भी उनके लिए सड़क, बिजली, पानी, पक्के मकान और स्वास्थ्य सेवाएं सबसे बड़ी ज़रूरतें हैं। हमें हर स्तर पर इसको देखना होगा। हम जब विकास की बात करते हैं तो हम सिर्फ़ रोज़ग़ार की बात करते हैं। अगर आपको रोज़ग़ार दे दिया जाएगा, रोज़ग़ार के अवसर मुहैया हो जाएंगे तो विकास आ जाएगा। लेकिन आप रोज़ग़ार के लिए काबिल कैसे होंगे, जब तक आपके पास शिक्षा संस्थान नहीं होंगे, आपके पास पढ़ाई के लिए ऑपर्च्यूनिटिज़ ही नहीं होंगी। बहुत ज़रूरी है अच्छे शिक्षा संस्थानों का भी खुलना। व्यक्ति पढ़ाई के काबिल बने, इसकी देखरेख होना बहुत जरूरी है। अगर कोई बच्चा पैदा होते ही कुपोषण का शिकार हो जाए तो वह कैसे अच्छी पढ़ाई की कल्पना करेगा, कैसे वह एक अच्छे रोज़गार की कल्पना करेगा?वे मैलन्यूट्रिशन का शिकार न हों, इसके लिए स्वास्थ्य सेवाएं भी बहुत जरूरी हैं। जब बच्चा गर्भ में हो तो मां एक सेफ डिलिवरी कर पाए, हमें इस चीज़ का भी ध्यान रखना है। उस दौरान मां का भी पोषण ढंग से हो, हमें उस चीज़ का भी ख्याल रखना है। इसीलिए, मैं बार-बार कहता हूं कि यह एक संतुलित बजट है। यह इसलिए संतुलित है कि हर स्तर पर आप इसे बैकवर्ड इंटीग्रेशन के तौर पर देखें, रोज़गार से लेकर, शिक्षा से लेकर, स्वास्थ्य सेवाओं से लेकर सभी पहलू पर ध्यान दिया गया है।
हम लोग लगातार महिला सशक्तीकरण की बात करते रहते हैं, पर यह बहुत जरूरी है कि महिला सशक्तीकरण के साथ-साथ सबसे पहले महिलाओं को सेंस ऑफ सिक्यूरिटी मिले।
भले ही मैं आज आम बजट पर बोल रहा हूं, पर जिस तरीके से रेल मंत्री जी ने रेलवे में वूमेन आरपीएफ का प्रस्ताव सामने रखा है, इसके लिए मैं उनका धन्यवाद करना चाहूंगा। कहीं से शुरूआत तो हो रही है। हम लोग सिर्फ़ बात ही नहीं कर रहे हैं, बल्कि उन बातों को सामने ला भी रहे हैं।
जैसा कि मैंने कहा कि एक मल्टीडायरेक्शनल डेवलपमेंट की, एक चहुमुंखी विकास की जरूरत है। इसमें सिर्फ़ जॉब अपॉरच्यूनिटी से ही काम नहीं चलेगा, बल्कि हमें हर स्तर पर देखना है। हमें किसानों को भी देखना है, हमें युवाओं को भी देखना है, महिलाओं को भी देखना है और बुज़ुर्गों को भी देखना है। ये तमाम प्रावधान इस बजट में किए गए हैं सभापति जी, मैं युवा हूं और युवाओं की बात करता हूं। मैं जिस क्षेत्र से आता हूं, जिस प्रदेश से आता हूं, उस प्रदेश से युवाओं का लगातार पलायन होता रहा है। वे दूसरे प्रदेशों में जाते रहे हैं, दूसरे देशों में रोज़गार के लिए, शिक्षा के लिए जाते रहे हैं। मुझे यह देखकर तक़लीफ होती है कि क्यों किसी दूसरे प्रदेश का लड़का शिक्षा के लिए बिहार में नहीं आता? क्यों किसी दूसरे प्रदेश का लड़का बिहार में रोज़गार के लिए नहीं जाता?हम बिहारियों को ही दूसरे प्रदेश जाना पड़ता है।
महोदय, मुझे खुशी है कि इस बजट में युवाओं पर खास तौर से ध्यान दिया गया है। जब हम युवाओं की बात करते हैं तो अक्सर हमारी सोच कहीं-न-कहीं रोज़गार और शिक्षा पर आकर रूक जाती है। पर, जिस तरीके से हमारे आदरणीय वित्त मंत्री जी ने इस बार खेल-कूद को भी मुख्यधारा के साथ जोड़ने की सोच सामने रखी है, मैं उसका स्वागत करता हूं। बहुत-से हमारे ऐसे खिलाड़ी हैं जिन्होंने देश में ही नहीं, विदेश में भारत को ख्याति दिलायी है। बहुत-से ऐसे खिलाड़ी पार्लियामेन्टैरियन्स के तौर पर हमारी संसद में भी मौज़ूद हैं। खेल-कूद को बढ़ावा देना भी बहुत जरूरी है। यह एक ऐसा बजट है जो आई.आई.टी., आई.आई.एम. के साथ-साथ स्पोर्ट्स यूनिवर्सिटी का भी प्रस्ताव लेकर आया है, खेल-कूद को भी प्रोत्साहन देता है। साथ में, युवा होने के नाते मैं वित्त मंत्री जी के सामने एक छोटा-सा सुझाव भी रखना चाहूंगा। मैं उन से आग्रह करूंगा कि जिस प्रकार से वूमेन कमीशन है या एस.सी./एस.टी. कमीशन है, उसी प्रकार एक युवा आयोग का भी गठन किया जाए, जो युवाओं को देखें। युवाओं को उनकी काबलियत के अनुसार रोज़गार मिले। जब तक उन्हें रोज़गार नहीं दे सकते, उन्हें बेरोज़गारी भत्ता मिले। केन्द्र एक अलग-से बजट निर्धारित करे जो सिर्फ और सिर्फ़ युवाओं के विकास के लिए इस्तेमाल किया जाए। यह एक छोटा-सा सुझाव है। मैं चाहूंगा कि वित्त मंत्री जी इस पर जरूर विचार करें।
सभापति जी, आज हमें एक ऐसी व्यवस्था बनाने की जरूरत है जहां महंगाई हमारी कमाई पर हावी न हो। इस चर्चा के दौरान विरासत की भी बहुत बातें हुईं कि हम ने आपको विरासत में यह छोड़ा, हमने आपको विरासत में वह दिया, हम यह-यह काम करके गए। पर, हक़ीकत यह है कि यूपीए की सरकार के दौरान ही एक ऐसा वक्त था जब हमारी महंगाई दर दस प्रतिशत से ऊपर थी और हमारी विकास दर पांच प्रतिशत से कम। हमें एक ऐसी व्यवस्था का गठन करना होगा जहां हमें इस समीकरण को उलटना होगा। जहां पर हमारी विकास दर दस प्रतिशत से ऊपर हो और हमारी महंगाई दर पांच प्रतिशत से कम आए। मुझे पूरी उम्मीद है कि यह बजट उस दिशा में एक मज़बूत कदम के तौर पर साबित होगा। हमारे पूर्व प्रधान मंत्री जी अक्सर एक लाइन का उपयोग किया करते थे। वे कहते थे - No one can stop an idea whose time has come. तमाम मुश्किलों के बावज़ूद, तमाम रूकावटों के बावज़ूद जिस तरीके से "अबकी बार, मोदी सरकार " का सपना पूरा हुआ है, मैं वही लाइन दोहराता हूं-Modiji was an idea whose time has come - an idea of development first.
महोदय, मुझे पूरी उम्मीद है कि मैं जिस पिछड़े प्रदेश के सबसे पिछड़े क्षेत्र का प्रतिनिधित्व करता हूं, इस सरकार के सहयोग से आगामी वर्षों में न मेरा क्षेत्र पिछड़ा रहेगा, न मेरा प्रदेश पिछड़ा रहेगा, मुझे इस बात का पूरा विश्वास है।
अन्त में यहां पर बैठे तमाम सदस्यों के द्वारा, जो देश की 125 करोड़ जनता ने एक विकसित भारत की कल्पना की है, मुझे उम्मीद है और विश्वास है कि उस दिशा में यह आम बजट एक पहले मजबूत कदम के तौर पर साबित होगा।
इन्हीं शब्दों के साथ मैं चिराग पासवान, लोक जनशक्ति पार्टी का सदस्य इस बजट का समर्थन करता हूं।
श्री तारिक अनवर(कटिहार): सभापति जी, सबसे पहले मैं आपको धन्यवाद देता हूं कि इस आम बजट पर बोलने का आपने मुझे अवसर दिया।
यह बजट सत्ता परिवर्तन के बाद आया है। अच्छे दिन आने वाले हैं...(व्यवधान)क्या हो गया?क्या हुआ?इसका मतलब है कि नहीं आने वाले हैं।...(व्यवधान)
श्री जय प्रकाश नारायण यादव (बाँका) : एक भी वार ये बर्दाश्त नहीं कर पाये। पहले वार में ही धराशायी हो गये। ...(व्यवधान)
श्री तारिक अनवर:मैं तो कह रहा हूं कि अच्छे दिन आने वाले हैं। जैसा मैं कह रहा था कि अच्छे दिन आने वाले हैं, यह मात्र नारा नहीं है, बल्कि लोगों को ऐसा विश्वास था कि ये एक दृष्टि है और आने वाले समय में सही मायनों में हमारे अच्छे दिन आएंगे। लोगों ने, खासकर युवकों ने और उनमें भी नौजवानों ने, पहली बार जिन्होंने चुनाव प्रक्रिया में भाग लिया था, बड़े उत्साह के साथ उन्होंने भारतीय जनता पार्टी और उसके गठबंधन को अपना समर्थन दिया, सहयोग दिया।
भाजपा के चुनावी घोषणा-पत्र में भी पार्टी की दृष्टि की स्पष्ट अभिव्यक्ति की गई थी, जिसमें विकास का आधार, बुनियादी ढांचे का विस्तार,100नये शहर, उच्च गति का रेलवे नेटवर्क, नदियों को जोड़ना, हर घर को बिजली और 2022 तक हर परिवार को घर जैसी उत्साहवर्धक घोषणाएं की गई थीं, वायदे किये गये थे। चुनावों के दौरान भाजपा ने एक आधुनिक भारत की अपेक्षा भी जगाई थी। लोगों ने ऐसा महसूस भी किया था कि उनके कार्यकाल में एक नये भारत का जन्म होगा, पर इस दृष्टि पर आधारित नये कार्यक्रम की जगह हमें एक साधारण बजट दिया गया है। कोई प्रभावी घोषणाएं इसमें नहीं दिखाई पड़ती हैं। इस बजट में हमारा मुंह मीठा करने के लिए कुछ टुकड़े जरूर दिये गये हैं, जो कुछ देर के लिए भूख को शान्त कर सकता है, लेकिन हमेशा के लिए भूख नहीं मिटा सकता।
लोक सभा चुनावों में मिली ऐतिहासिक जीत के बाद देश को प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी के नेतृत्व वाली सरकार से, अरुण जेटली जी से यह काफी अपेक्षा थी कि इस बार का बजट ऐतिहासिक होगा। देश की आर्थिक नीतियों को एक नई दिशा देने के बजाय प्रधानमंत्री ने कहा कि लोगों को कड़वी गोली खाने के लिए तैयार रहना चाहिए। यह कैसा इन्साफ है कि भाजपा के लोग मीठी गोली खायें और जनता कड़वी गोली खाये। महंगाई की मार से पहले ही आम आदमी परेशान था। उसके लिए परिवार का पालन-पोषण करना मुश्किल था और उनके जख्मों पर मरहम लगाने के बजाय उनके जख्मों पर नमक छिड़कने का काम किया गया है। रेल का भाड़ा बढ़ा दिया गया, यात्री भाड़ा बढ़ा, माल ढुलाई बढ़ी, डीजल-पैट्रोल आदि सभी चीजों की कीमतें बढ़ती चली गईं। जाहिर है कि आम आदमी पर आर्थिक बोझ और ज्यादा बढ़ता चला गया और उसके लिए जीना मुश्किल हो गया। अच्छे दिन तो आए हैं, लेकिन कुछ लोगो के लिए आए हैं, कुछ समूहों के लिए आए हैं।इसमें शुरूआत हुयी है, उद्योग जगत की, कंपनी क्षेत्र और विदेशी निवेश करने वालों के लिए अच्छे दिन जरूर आ गए हैं, इस बजट से ऐसा दिखता है। अलबत्ता आम आदमी को नरेन्द्र मोदी जी की सरकार के पहले आम बजट में सिर्फ उम्मीदें दिखायी पड़ी हैं।अच्छे दिनों के लिए उसे काफी लंबे समय तक इंतजार करना पड़ेगा। बजट में सिर्फ सपना दिखाया गया है और सपनों के सौदागर की तरह सिर्फ सपने को बेचने की कोशिश की गयी है।
सभापति महोदय, वित्त मंत्री अरूण जेटली जी द्वारा जो बजट पेश किया है, उसके बारे में एक अर्थशास्त्री श्री एन.सी.सक्सेना हैं, उन्होंने कुछ बातें कही हैं। मैं आपकी इजाजत से उन्हें कोट करना चाहता हूं।उन्होंने कहा है कि वित्त मंत्री अरूण जेटली द्वारा जो बजट पेश किया गया है, उसमें तमाम नई योजनाओं का सिर्फ जिक्र किया गया है, लेकिन इन योजनाओं को पूरा करने का रोड मैप का क्या होगा और इसके लिए धन कहां से आयेगा, इस बारे में कुछ भी नहीं बताया गया है। तकरीबन200से 250 योजनाएं पहले से चल रही हैं और नयी सरकार ने भी अपने बजट भाषण में तकरीबन इतनी ही नयी योजनाओं की घोषणा की है।इस तरह योजनाओं की संख्या बढ़कर 400से 500 हो गयी है, जबकि राजस्व बढ़ाने के नये उपायों का कोई उल्लेख नहीं किया गया है। यह बात मैं इसलिए कहना चाहता हूं, इसलिए मैंने कोट किया कि जब वित्त मंत्री अपना बजट पेश कर रहे थे तो उनको उन तमाम चीजों को बताने की जरूरत थी क्योंकि बजट सरकार का आगे आने वाले समय में उसका क्या रोड मैप होगा, क्या उसकी नीति रहेगी, किस तरह से अर्थव्यवस्था को वह ठीक ढ़ंग से आगे बढ़ाने का काम करेंगे, उन तमाम चीजों पर रोशनी डालने का एक जरिया होता है। जिस प्रकार से यह बजट लाया गया, उससे ऐसा लगता है कि यह बजट अरूण जेटली जी के द्वारा शायद नहीं बनाया गया है, बल्कि नौकरशाहों के द्वारा बनाया गया है, जिन्होंने ड्राइंग रूम में बैठकर इसे डिजाइन किया और इसे पेश किया गया। मैं समझता हूं कि समय का अभाव हो सकता है। मैं अरूण जेटली जी की कठिनाई को समझता हूं कि शायद समय की कमी रही होगी, जिसकी वजह से उनको देखने का मौका नहीं मिला, लेकिन इस बजट में कहीं भी कोई नयापन, कोई ऐसी बात जिससे यह लगे कि इससे गरीबों का कुछ भला होगा, समाज के कमजोर वर्ग के लोगों का भला होगा, इस देश के अन्दर रहने वाले दलित, पिछड़े वर्ग, अल्पसंख्यक के लिए कुछ इसमें बात कही जा रही हो, कहीं भी उसका जिक्र उस ढंग से नहीं किया गया है। हम कह सकते हैं कि सिर्फ दिखावे के लिए इस बजट में उनकी तरफ रोशनी डाली गयी है, लेकिन हकीकत में उनको नजरंदाज किया गया है।
सरकार ने युवकों के रोजगार के लिए स्किल इंडिया अभियान की घोषणा की है, लेकिन इन पर कितना अमल हो पाएगा, यह किसी को नहीं पता। सरकार ने वर्ष 2019 तक साफ-स्वच्छ भारत का लक्ष्य रखा है, जो व्यवहारिक नहीं लगता है।इसी तरह वर्ष 2022 तक सभी को घर मुहैय्या कराने की बात कही गयी है, यह भी बड़ी हद तक व्यवहारिक नजर नहीं आता है।अकेले मुंबई में पचपन फीसदी लोग स्लम में रहते हैं, आखिर उन्हें किस तरह घर दिया जाएगा? बेहतर होता कि सरकार एक कमरे वाले अथवा तीन सौ से चार सौ वर्गफुट वाले घरों के निर्माण के लिए नयी हाउसिंग स्कीम्स की घोषणा करती। ...(व्यवधान)
मैं अंत में इतना ही कहूंगा, समय का अभाव है, आप बार-बार आदेश दे रहे हैं, इसलिए मैं अपनी बात शीघ्र समाप्त करता हूं।यह जो बजट है, जैसा मैंने शुरू में कहा कि लोगों की जो आशायें थीं, लोगों की जो उम्मीदें थीं, जिस उम्मीद के साथ लोगों ने इस सरकार को लाने का काम किया था, उसको नजरंदाज किया गया। उनकी भावानाओं का आदर नहीं किया, सम्मान नहीं किया गया। आने वाले समय में किस प्रकार से इस देश की जो समस्या है, मूल रूप से गरीबी, बेरोजगारी, भ्रष्टाचार उनका कैसे उन्मूलन होगा, इस ओर ध्यान नहीं दिया गया है।
मैं इन्हीं बातों के साथ आपको धन्यवाद देते हुए अपनी बात समाप्त करता हूं।
17.00 hrs DR. SHASHI THAROOR (THIRUVANANTHAPURAM): Mr. Chairman, is the Minister coming back? Do we know?
HON. CHAIRPERSON : He is coming. You proceed.
DR. SHASHI THAROOR : I would like to join my hon. colleagues in congratulating the Finance Minister on his Budget speech, the longest Budget speech, I think, in living memory. In fact, my dear friend Shri Sudip Bandyopadhyay was actually wrong when he held the two speeches up and said that Shri Chidambaram’s and his were equal in length. Shri Jaitley spoke 16,473 words for nearly two hours and a half, whereas Shri Chidambaram spoke 6,581 words in less than one hour. … (Interruptions) So, the result is the real inflation here, from 6,000 to 16,000. But still since we know that it has been a back-breaking work for the Minister, we should be sympathetic.
After hearing my friend, Shri Jaitley’s views on the UPA’s Budgets over the last five years, I must confess that I am a bit disappointed at his own Budget’s lack of “big, bold ideas” to cite a phrase he has often used against the UPA. For the last decade the BJP has been critical of the UPA’s Budgets. We could have assumed they have a pretty good idea of what they would have offered in our place, some path breaking reforms, some radical departures from the UPA policies and, of course, a few of Prime Minister Modi’s bitter pills. We got none.
Instead, we got 29 projects that have been allocated Rs. 100 crore each, like Bollywood box office hits. A Budget cannot be a laundry list of assorted Rs. 100 crore sops for various constituencies. We do understand these are meant to be initial allocations for this year alone and not complete numbers for these projects. But there should be a vision, a clear policy and a direction behind all these programmes. Where is that? These Rs. 100 crore allocations actually raise real questions about the mindset of the Government in this regard. What is the desired overall outcome? How does each Rs. 100 crore serve that objective? For example, a mere Rs. 100 crore for gender security is meaningless when there is not enough outlay for core, soverign functions like law and order, as Dr. Thambidurai pointed out. The hon. Jayant Sinha said that the economy is like a battle ship. But clearly this ship is not yet ready for battle. But anyway in keeping with Shri Jaitley’s own preferences when he was in Opposition, let me just stick to the big picture.
What are the big questions that we need to ask about the Budget? First, as this is the new Government, does it have an overall vision? Is it clear how it is going to be implemented? Second, have the economy’s problems been diagnosed properly and is there a prescription to fix these remedies? Third, who gains and who loses from this Budget? Fourth, does it live up to the expectations generated by the ruling party’s own statements when it was in Opposition? I am sorry to say that there are serious grounds for disappointment in analyzing the Budget along these questions.
What is the aam admi looking for in this Budget? At the personal level, everyone wants more income and a lower cost of living and at the macro level, policies that will create growth and job opportunities, that would reduce prices, that would widen each Indian’s life prospects. India needs an economy which is efficient, which is competitive, and which at the same time, in an era of growing inequality, is also humane. We have not got that from this Budget. In fact, in his Rajya Sabha speech on the UPA’s 2012 Budget, Shri Jaitley said that “the Budget should increase” – I am quoting him – “the width and the volume of the economic activity”. That is a pretty good yardstick. But his own Budget has failed to meet it. Where is the roadmap for national recovery? Any Budget today if you ask any economist – has to address five issues, fiscal consolidation that is a policy aimed at reducing Government deficits and debt accumulation, job creation through boosting manufacturing, increasing savings in order to boost investments, inflation control (price rise) and improving investor sentiment, both domestic and foreign, so that we can have more growth revival. Now, you can throw into this list a few subsidiary points, as some of the Members today have done, like some tax policies, energy policies, human resource development incentives, issues of banking and pensions. We do not have time to address each one of these in detail. But the Finance Minister did, but he did not fully address any.
Take one item, manufacturing. An hon. Member from the BJP blamed the UPA. To be internationally competitive, India requires policies that will reduce the cost of manufacturing; provide affordable interest rates, improve infrastructure, better trade facilitation, lower cost of power and so on. One of the key reasons for the fall in the GDP growth rate is the slowing down of the Index of Industrial Production. But this Government’s Budget has not addressed any of these, let alone have a coherent set of policies to improve manufacturing. You are not going to get manufacturing just by announcing that you are going to create more factories. All these policies are required to be framed. They are missing.
For a Government that had long deprecated the UPA’s alleged ‘indecisiveness’, there were no concrete decisions on offer on any of these or our country’s other fiscal priorities. For instance, after decrying UPA’s tax policies for years, the hon. Finance Minister announced no decision on introducing the pending Direct Tax Code. Instead, he gave us a series of Committees – an Expenditure Management Commission, a high-level Committee of the CBDT on Retrospective Taxation, another Committee to interact with industry on taxation, a fourth Committee to examine MSMEs. This from a Party that routinely blamed the UPA for delegating decision-making to Groups of Ministers” Now, I come to the Expenditure Management Commission which they are all so excited about . We have actually heard this story before. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government too had an Expenditure Reforms Commission, headed by Shri K.P. Geethakrishnan. Its report, which covered 36 subject areas, was consigned to the archives. As usual, a Commission becomes an excuse for inaction. So, I must ask the Government how many times must the wheel be re-invented for the NDA engine to start cranking?
No specific measures were announced to reduce inflation. Price rise is the worst kind of tax on the poor and the lower middle-class, the issue that most hurts the aam aadmi, but the Party that rode to power on public resentment of high prices had no inflation-busting solutions to offer. In fact, the cuts in fuel subsidies by about Rs.22,000 crore are going to ensure that the prices of petrol and diesel will keep going up, leading to a cascading impact on other essential commodities, needless to say the price rise for everybody. We would at least have hoped that the Finance Minister would say that he encourages and supports the Reserve Bank of India to manage interest rate policies that complement the fiscal efforts to reduce inflation. But he has not even addressed this concern.
People below the poverty line have got short shrift in the focus on the so-called “neo middle-class” that we hear about from the BJP. But for aspirational young Indians, there is no indication of where new jobs will come from for the 12 million young people who are entering the employment market in our country each year.
Let me turn briefly (and boringly) to the macro-economic perspectives because there are some real worries about how the Finance Minister will achieve any fiscal consolidation with his Budget. After accusing the UPA of fudging the numbers in claiming a fiscal deficit of 4.6 per cent, the NDA Budget now accepts those numbers. But it gives no specifics on how it will bring that down to 4.1 per cent, a target it endorsed without cavil. In fact, the Finance Minister based his deficit calculations on a nearly 20 per cent increase in revenue which, in a year of a slow growth period in our lives, is implausible. Some of the Budget numbers strain credulity. Tax revenues are projected well above GDP growth. That defies credibility given that nominal GDP growth is unlikely to exceed 13 to 14 per cent ( 9 per cent for inflation plus 5 per cent for real GDP growth). It also defies credibility because already in the first quarter of this fiscal year, 45 per cent of the annual deficit number has already been reached. Despite just having a 6 per cent growth in customs revenues last year, the Government has budgeted a 15 per cent jump in customs revenue this year. On what basis?
The fine print shows that the Government expects Rs.99,000 crore from non-tax revenues. Where is that coming from, if not from selling national assets? Yet, the hon. Finance Minister did not even mention the word “disinvestment” in his speech. Still, disinvestment proceeds for this year are projected to rise from Rs.25,000 crore in 2013-14 to Rs.63,000 crore in 2014-15, much higher than the Interim Budget of Shri Chidambaram. I think in his reply to this debate, the Finance Minister needs to spell out exactly what he will do on disinvestment. Which bits of the family silver is he planning to sell off?
In fact, if I may quote the International Rating Agency Moody’s: “The Budget lack details on revenue and expenditure measures to lower the deficit, making it difficult to assess the likelihood that future deficit targets will be met. I am sure the hon. Member Shri Jayant Sinha can tell us: Will foreign investors listen to Moody’s views or Modi’s views?
Anyway, on the other side of the picture, let us turn to taxes from the aam aadmi’s point of view. As Leader of the Opposition, Arun Jaitley ji had demanded that the IT exemption limit be raised to Rs.5 lakhs, which he has not been able to fulfil as Finance Minister. The very fact that the BJP’s promise of increasing the exemption limit to Rs.5 lakh has resulted in only a 25 per cent increased in exemption limit from Rs.2 lakh to Rs.2.50 lakh has disappointed people across the country. So, we have lost on both sides. As I said, on the macro economic side, which the Finance Minister, I am sure, would be briefed on later; and the average taxpayer side, who as my colleague pointed out, will only save Rs.416 per month which won’t even cover the increased price of tomatoes, onions, sugar and milk for a family of four today. Similarly, there is no comprehensive roadmap to step up the country’s tax to GDP ratio, which is at a low level of 17 percent. And there are no measures to address the lack of progressivity in the country’s tax structure, which depends on indirect taxes to the extent of two-thirds of our total tax revenue.
In the absence of clear measures as I had explained on increasing revenues or tax collection efficiency, how will the NDA manage the fiscal deficit? Won’t there inevitably be cuts in developmental expenditure?
Persistent inflation is due in large part to Government borrowings and is the cause of high interest rates that have hurt investment, consumption and job creation. So, clearly, debt must be reduced, even retired altogether. We agree there with the hon. Finance Minister who said in his speech” “We cannot leave behind a legacy of debt for our future generations.” Yet, this year, in the budget, the Government of India will spend more than it did last year, borrow more than it did last year – approximately Rs.69 crore an hour will be borrowed by this Government - and spend more on subsidies than it did last year. How is he going to retire the debt?
The Budget did not spell out clear plans for rationalising these subsidies; recapitalizing public sector banks; and did not repeal the retrospective tax amendment that was expected by the investing community. In fact, the Economic Survey, which the Finance Minister himself presented to us, the day before the Budget, envisaged reducing direct taxes to the ASEAN level, an FRBM Act with real teeth, food stamps and cash transfer instead of subsidized goods. But Mr. Jaitley has avoided all these reforms.
No wonder the BSE Sensex extended its losing streak to a fifth straight day during which the blue chip index actually shed over 1,000 points. So, while the Rs.100 crore giveaways make it look a `something for everybody’ budget, the stock market reaction proves that it is really a `not enough for anybody’ budget.
Agriculture, one area in which our country is actually doing quite well, has been woefully neglected by the NDA Budget in a year where farmers are particularly vulnerable to a bad monsoon. Yes, we have the Rural Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme which is a good idea but is Rs.100 crore really going to go very far in a country where 67 per cent of our population is rural and 65 per cent is young. How can you manage to tackle their needs in that kind of time?
I want to address pensions, in addition to addressing some of the needs of poor people. I have got pensioners in my constituency who are trying to live on Rs.500 a month. We have not seen a significant increase there. We have not seen any proposal on employees contributions to life and health insurance which could have been made mandatory like the provident fund. But these easy wins have been spurned. Instead they have grand, uneconomic, unviable ideas like the bullet trains – a classic example of the NDA going on the wrong track - the gap between dreams and realities.
You can talk all you want about affordable housing and 100 smart cities but where is the land available to build them?
As my colleague pointed out, the NDA adopted a number of UPA policies which it had earlier criticised and blocked. But on the Goods and Services Tax, which we were very pleased they have adopted, and which they had opposed – their State Governments had opposed – we are again concerned about the lack of a specific deadline or specific assurances to the States.
About various schemes that have already been mentioned that have actually been renamed, demonstrates, once again that this is not a game changing Budget but a name changing Budget.
There is lot more to be said, Mr. Chairman, but I just want to conclude with two last words. I do want to stress that women have done very badly out of this Budget because we have got some concerns about the failure to address the problems of their security, their education, the balance between the money allocated to them. Even the National Crime Record Bureau says that there has been a 26 per cent increase in crimes against women but there has not ever been a two per cent increase in the budget allocated to women.
Let me conclude now. Since the Finance Minister did not favour us with the usual couplets we have become used to in Budget speeches, I thought I would offer him a couple that are appropriate to this story. The first, with your permission, Mr. Chairman, is this.
“ कहाँ तो तय था, उज़ाला हर घर के लिए, कहाँ चिराग मयस्सर नहीं शहर के लिए।” “The promise was to illuminate every home. Not even a lamp lights up the city today.” But, we, on this side of the House, are not surprised, Mr. Chairman. After all, as the immortal Ghalib put it, “तेरे वादे पर जिये हम, तो ये ज़ान छूट जाना, कि खुशी से मर न जाते, अगर ऐतबार होता।” “I lived by your promise as I knew that it was false. Would not I have died of happiness, if I had believed it to be true?” I hope that the NDA Government will help us to die of happiness, Mr. Chairman, rather than live in false hope.
*SHRI ANIL SHIROLE (PUNE): I have to make following suggestions with regard to General Budget.
Till 31st March 1989, an assessee had the choice to select the accounting year. With constituency in accounting year for all assesses the concept of previous year and assessment year has become redundant.
Business loss should be allowed to be carried forward indefinitely.
MAT credit should be allowed to be carried forward indefinitely.
The interest should be payable on late payment starting the due date and not the date of deduction. Additionally this interest should be charged on the definition of a month as per English dictionary and not as per calendar month concept.
For all returns filed during the relevant previous and upto 31st May of the assessment, there should be no penalty. Thereafter the penalty should be Rs. 500 per month.
Basic exemption limit for Individuals and all monetary ceilings should be linked to an index. A separate index like cost inflation index should be published for this purpose. E.g. Basic exemption limit is Rs. 2,00,000 today. For this index should be 100. For a subsequent year, if the index is 1.20, basic exemption limit shall stand increased to Rs. 2,40,000.
Similarly, limit for deduction u/s 80C for individuals is Rs. 100,000 for the base year with index 100 and would become Rs. 1,20,000 when the index is 120.
Trusts having substantial income (Such as Tirupati or Shirdi), should compulsorily lend a fixed percentage of their assets to government for infrastructure development projects at nominal interest rate of say 1% or the trusts should be made liable to pay tax at marginal rates above a certain threshold limit.
Amounts donated for infrastructural development to government approved entities should be given a weighted deduction from income without any ceiling. Retrospective amendments should be avoided with reference to Vodafone case.
Voluntary Disclosure scheme should be implemented for bringing unaccounted monies of Indians lying abroad. After implementation of this scheme, if any such unaccounted monies of Indians are found abroad, they should be confiscated with additional penalties and prosecution The assessing officer must credit the amount of refund due to the assessee’s bank account by e-transfer as soon as the assessment is completed. Interest will be paid into the assessee’s bank account @ 12% per annum for a delay of more than one day.
डॉ. किरीट सोमैया(मुम्बई उत्तर पूर्व) : माननीय सभापति महोदय, कुछ दिनों से बाहर से ज्यादा सदन के अंदर अच्छे दिनों की चर्चा हो रही है। बाहर के लोगों को अच्छे दिन का अहसास हो रहा है और सदन के अंदर के लोगों को अच्छे दिन आ रहे हैं, आये हैं, उसकी चिन्ता हो रही है।
सभापति महोदय, स्वाभाविक है कि 10 वर्षों से कभी सोचा भी नहीं था कि इस प्रकार का परिवर्तन, ऐसी क्रंति आ सकती है। श्री अरूण जेटली जी ने बजट रखा और बजट के बारे में मेरे सहयोगी मित्रों में से कोई इंस्टीटय़ूट को कोट कर रहे थे, कोई अखबारों में छपी बातों को कोट कर रहे थे।
17.18 hrs (Dr. M. Thambiduraiin the Chair) मैं भी, कुछ अखबारों ने जो लिखा है, कुछ एडिटोरियल्स हैं, कुछ इंटरनेशनल एजेंसीज़ हैं, उनके बारे में भी बताना चाहूँगा। एक अखबार ने लिखा है- “ मोदी मैज़िक, अच्छे दिनों की आहट। ” ...(व्यवधान)और एक अखबार ने लिखा- “जेटली ने दागे गोल पर गोल। ” वैसे जेटली जी क्रिकेट वाले हैं, सिक्सर पे सिक्सर। और किसी ने लिखा है कि “कर-मुक्त किया ” , तो किसी ने कहा “FM makes money for you”, किसी ने लिखा “Cheers for tax payers”. सभापति महोदय, किसी ने लिखा, “Big boost for Infra and cheer for industry”. Yes, Mr. Tharoor, you are right. What it states is as follows: “These are only the first steps and are directions.” One of the leading newspapers wrote: “Back on track, but miles to go”. ये सब जो अखबारों ने लिखा है, या जो जनता ने महसूस किया है, मैं समझ सकता हूं चिन्ता भी मैं मानता हूं, लेकिन उसके ऊपर आने के पहले कुछ एक्सपर्ट इकोनोमिस्ट्स हैं, उनकी भी राय बताना चाहता हूँ।One economist says: “It is a pragmatic and well-balanced Budget”. Another says: “It is a Budget both with head and heart”. सरकार में आक्रामकता है, मजबूती है, लेकिन इस सरकार में संवेदनशीलता भी है।
“The Government seems to be committed to strengthen the investor confidence in the economy.” What Mr. Tharoor was debating and discussing, he mentioned about the Western economy, the Western investor. He said, he was expecting from Mr. Jaitley some retrospective tax correction amendments. I really appreciate his daring. I would suggest Mr. Finance Minister also that he is sitting on the Opposite Bench and he is stating about Vodafone, the judgement, the decision, which was done by his Government, his Finance Minister and he says he was expecting the Modi sarkar to correct that blunder which has shaken the confidence of the international investor. मैं आपको धन्यवाद देता हूं कि आपकी स्पोर्ट्समैन स्पिरिट है, धीरे-धीरे आपके बगल में जो बैठे हैं, उनमें भी यह स्पिरिट आ जाएगी। ...(व्यवधान)किसी ने लिखा है - Extended the advance ruling which will end the uncertainty. किसी ने लिखा है - Budget has touched upon the critical areas of agri-infrastructure, aerospace, energy. मैं इन सब डिटेल्स में नहीं जाता हूं, लेकिन यह बात सही है और स्वाभाविक है कि चाहे विपक्ष हो, पक्ष हो या हमारा मित्र पक्ष हो या आम आदमी हो, जनता हो, उनको लग रहा है कि अच्छे दिन आ गए हैं और इसीलिए उसी के साथ में आता है "यह दिल मांगे मोर।" हमारे मित्र जो कह रहे थे, उनको भी एक आशा जगी है कि यह सरकार कुछ कर सकती है। The Government can do something. That is why they have started expressing their expectation. मैं आपसे कहूंगा कि आपकी आशा, आकांक्षा और अपेक्षा बहुत ही जल्दी पूरी हो जाएगी और फिर पप्पू भाई भी थरूर जी जैसा भाषण देने लगेंगे। ...(व्यवधान)...पप्पू भाई, आपको घर नहीं मिला, क्या इसीलिए टोक रहे हो? ...(व्यवधान) Is it not acche din? What the whole Budget says? It says that the regime of tax terrorism is over; the tax friendly regime has just started. क्या लगाया था गए दस सालों में?मेरे साथ बात करो, हमारा कोई आदमी आएगा, उसके साथ चर्चा करो, नहीं तो फिर रिट्रोस्पेक्टिव अमेंडमेंट का सामना करो, मुकाबला करो। क्या स्थिति थी?Is the Government meant for tax terrorism to abuse the power? आज चिन्ता व्यक्त कर रहे हैं कि पैसे कहां से आएंगे?एफआईआई क्यों पैसा डालेगी, एफडीआई क्यों पैसा डालेगी?जरा पीछे मुड़कर देखो। यह चिन्ता आपकी है और हमारी भी है, लेकिन जो हो गया, हो गया, रोज उसके बारे में रो कर क्या करेंगे। ...(व्यवधान)यह जो सरकार आई है वह टैक्स फ्रेंडली रिजीम वाली आई हे, अस्थिरता की जगह स्थिरता लाई है। एडवांस में आपको बता दिया जाएगा कि टैक्सेशन की यह स्थिति होगी, एडवांस में आने वाले दस साल बाद वर्ष 2022 का भारत कैसा होगा और हम कैसे हरेक व्यक्ति को घर देंगे। यह बजट उसकी दिशा देने वाला है। स्थिरता भी है और भविष्यता भी है। मैं अपने मित्र को कहूंगा कि अहंकार को थोड़े दिन बाजू पर रखो और आत्ममंथन, आत्मचिंतन करो। अब आप डबल डिजिट में आ गए हैं, आधी सेंचुरी भी न पूरी करने के पश्चात्, जब मोदी जी शपथ ले रहे हैं, उसी दिन रात को टीवी चैनल पर टीका करने की शुरूआत होती है।
इसे अहंकार कहते हैं, और कुछ नहीं कहते हैं। ...(व्यवधान)तो मैं पालिसी पैरालिसिस की बात कर रहा था, जिसके कारण आप 44 पर आ गए।...(व्यवधान)आप हमें क्यों यह बता रहे हैं, आप जनता से जाकर कहो। हमने तो जनता से सिर्फ यह कहा था - “अब की बार मोदी सरकार”, लेकिन लोगों ने ईवीएम का बटन दबाकर जवाब दिया, “बार-बार मोदी सरकार।”...(व्यवधान)बात तो सही है।
सभापति महोदय, मैं बताना चाहता हूं कि हमारी संस्कृति क्या है, हमारी संस्कृति यह है कि माँ हो या पिता जी हों, दादा जी हों या दादी जी हों, भविष्य के लिए अपने बच्चों और पोतों के लिए बचाकर जाते हैं। उनके लिए बचत करने का काम करते हैं। हमारी संस्कृति में तो यहां तक है कि हमारे घरों में आप देखिए कि छोटा बच्चा, दो-तीन साल का होता है तो उसे गुल्लक लाकर दी जाती है और रोज उसमें एक रुपया, दो रुपया डालकर बच्चे में बचत करने की आदत डाली जाती है। इसलिए बचाना हमारी संस्कृति है। हम विरासत में लोगों को बचत देकर जाते हैं। अपने बच्चों और परिवार के भविष्य को बचत देकर जाते हैं।...(व्यवधान)हरेक की अपनी-अपनी संस्कृति है, लेकिन हमारी संस्कृति है अपनी संस्तति के लिए बचाना।
सभापति जी, मैं इस सम्बन्ध में एक उदाहरण देना चाहता हूं। मुम्बई में पारसी कम्युनिटी है, काफी कम तादाद में ये लोग हैं। एक सीनियर सिटीजन जो पारसी था, रोज ऑटो रिक्शा में जाता था, 81 साल की उम्र हो गई और उनकी मृत्यु हो गई। उनके मरने के बाद जब उनकी विल खोली गई तो वह अपने परिवार के लिए 2 करोड़81लाख रुपए के शेयर छोड़ गए थे। यह हमारी संस्कृति है। लेकिन आपने हमें क्या दिया, आप दूसरे देशों की बात करते हैं, दस साल राज करने के बाद भी कर्जा-कर्जा ही छोड़ कर गए हैं।What is our savings rate? It went up to 37 per. But now, it has come down to 30 per cent. कोई इंट्रोस्पेक्शन करेगा, क्यों हुआ यह 33 प्रतिशत सेविंग रेट?इसके अलावा 30प्रतिशत फिसकल डेफिसिट हमें विरासत में मिला है। इसके अलावा विरासत में हमें महंगाई मिली है, सब्सिडी का बोझ मिला है, पालिसी पैरालिसिस। हमें विरासत में मिला है इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर के नाम पर जीरो। विरासत में मिले लाखों करोड़ रुपयों के प्रोजेक्ट, जो एक के बाद एक घोषित तो पिछली सरकार करती गई, लेकिन सब कागजों पर ही अटके हुए हैं। इसके अलावा हमें विरासत में पावर क्राइसिज़ मिला है। हमें विरासत में मिला है कि माइनिंग नाम की चीज ही अस्तित्व में नहीं रही है। हमें यह भी विरासत में मिला है कि कोई इंवेस्टर या निवेशक यहां आकर पूंजी लगाने को तैयार नहीं है।I would urge upon the Finance Minister to find out as to how much cash remains idle in various bank accounts. The PSUs, private corporates and individual investors are also not investing in Government securities. सरकार पर भरोसा नहीं है, भरोसा उठ गया और पैसा अगर कैश आइडिल रह जाएगा, यह मैं नहीं कह रहा हूं। यह फरवरी2014में पिछली सरकार द्वारा इसी सदन में रखे गए इकॉनोमिक सर्वे में बताया गया है। उसमें लिखा है -People are not ready to invest in the Government securities or other securities.
रियल इस्टेट में पैसा जा रहा है, गोल्ड में पैसा जा रहा है। हमें अपना इकोनॉमिक सिस्टम करेक्ट करना पड़ेगा। छोटे निवेशकों में फिर से विश्वास पैदा करना पड़ेगा, क्योंकि गोल्ड में पैसा लगाते हैं तो वह कोई फ्रूटफुल इंवेस्टमेंट नहीं है। इसी तरह रियल इस्टेट में पैसा जाता है तो वह भी रियल इंवेस्टमेंट नहीं है।
मैं मानता हूं कि आप निराश हैं, हताश हैं और मायूस हैं, लेकिन महंगाई के लिए आंसू बहा रहे हैं। मैं भी देख रहा था उनके आंसू। मैंने थोड़ा प्रयत्न किया समझने का कि क्या वास्तव में ये महंगाई के लिए आंसू बहा रहे हैं, फिर देखा तो पता चला कि ये तो मगरमच्छ के आंसू थे। हम मानते हैं कि it is an error of judgment on our part. हमें पता नहीं था कि इतनी बुरी हालत इन्होंने अर्थव्यवस्था की कर रखी होगी। मैं दो तीन उदाहरण दूंगा। Just last week when I was travelling from Delhi to Mumbai in the plane, the CMD of PSU Bank was sitting near to me. उससे चर्चा हुई तो I was shocked. उन्होंने कहा कि मार्च महीने के अंत में जबर्दस्ती करके एडवांस टैक्स के नाम पर 3 हजार करोड़ रुपये भरने के लिए फोन आए।It was refunded in April. मैं चार्टेड एकाउंटेंट हूं और एकाउंटेंट जगलरी क्लाइंट के लिए कभी-कभी करते हैं, कभी-कभी विंडो-ट्रेसिंग करते हैं लेकिन देश की जनता के साथ में आप जगलरी करते हो? दूसरा उदाहरण देता हूं।An oil PSU को कम्प्लसरी प्रैसराइज करके कहा गया कि टैक्स एडवांस में भरो, क्योंकि 31मार्च 2014 का जो फाइनेंस स्टेटमेंट जाएगा, हम चुनाव में जा रहे हैं ताकि हम लोगों के सामने एक गलत पिक्चर रख सकें।That PSU borrowed loan from a Public Sector Bank to pay advance taxes which they were not actually required to pay. जगलरी किस प्रकार की करते हैं। पांच फरवरी 2014 को रेलवे का बजट रेलवे बोर्ड लिखता है, दस हजार करोड़ रुपये के प्रोजैक्ट्स सैंक्शन करता है, दस हजार करोड़ रुपये डैबिट साइड पर खर्च कर देता है, तो क्रैडिट साइड में 14 टका किराया बढ़ाने का प्रस्ताव रखकर डैबिट-क्रैडिट बैलेंस की जाती है। वे रेलवे मंत्रालय जाते हैं तो पांच फरवरी को यह सब बराबर करके नये प्रोजैक्ट्स घोषित कर दिये जाते हैं और 11 फरवरी2014को मेरे देश का प्रधानमंत्री उसके ऊपर हस्ताक्षर करता है कि अभी कोई किराया वृद्धि करने की जरुरत नहीं है। क्या इस प्रकार से हम देश चलाएंगे?क्या लोक सभा के चुनाव जीतने के लिए देश के साथ गद्दारी करेंगे? इसे संसद के सामने रखा जाता है, संसद का अपमान किया जाता है। चुनाव आयोग ने टाइम-टेबल डिक्लेयर नहीं किया था, इसके लिए लिखा कि एक मई तक पोस्टपोन। एक मई को वापस गये तो रेल मंत्री ने कह दिया कि postponed up to 16th May क्योंकि16मई को काउंटिंग होगी और 16 मई को जब बेड़ागर्क हो गया तो लिखा दिया, postponed indefinitely. अब अरुण जेटली जी से सवाल पूछते हो, यह क्या हमने किया था? 10 हजार करोड़ रुपये खर्च कर डाले, क्या इस प्रकार से सरकार चलाएंगे, इस प्रकार से देश के लोकतंत्र के साथ में खिलवाड़ करेंगे? मित्रो, मुझे मंजूर है, चिंता वाजिब है क्योंकि तिजोरी खाली है। मैं मानता हूं कि “Skill, Build and Transform” ...(व्यवधान)यह हमारे पास दृष्टि है, हमने कहा कि “Skill, Build and Transform” देखने के लिए दृष्टि चाहिए। अब इनकी दृष्टि देखों। वोट ऑन एकाउंट फरवरी 2014, मैंने यह दस्तावेज लाइब्रेरी से प्राप्त किया है। सुदीप जी आप बता रहे थे जो फरवरी2014में रखा गया, उसमें लिखा है कि “The savings rate is at 30.1 per cent and investment has come down at the lowest in the last five years, 10 years.” यह मैंने पेश नहीं किया है यह माननीय चिदम्बरम जी ने पेश किया है। उसमें लिखा है “The GDP growth rate slowed down to 4.4 per cent.” मैं एकाउंट की जगलरी जानता हूं, मैंने पीएचडी फाइनेंस में की है लेकिन मुझे लगता है कि मुझे दूसरी पीएचडी करनी पड़ेगी। आप देखो कि इन्होंने किस प्रकार से जगलरी की है। फिसकल डेफिसिट कम किया है, यानी क्या किया, संसद में रखा कि मैं पचास हजार करोड़ रुपया खर्च करूंगा, लेकिन खर्च 30 हजार करोड़ रुपए किए।I am reading it. I can pass it on to you. आप गरीबों की जो चिंता कर रहे थे, झुग्गी-झोपड़ी वालों की, महिलाओं की, वह आपको बता रहा हूं कि चिदम्बरम जी कितनी चिंता करते थे।
Sir, the Union Government’s actual expenditure under the Department of Rural Development has fallen drastically from Rs. 64,263 crore in 2011-12 to Rs. 50,187 crore in 2012-13. मैं आगे का भी पढ़ता हूं।
What is disturbing is the negligence of MNREGA by the UPA-II, Congress led Government. आपने टीवी पर विज्ञापन दिए थे और चार महीने टीवी पर चलता था कि मनरेगा, मनरेगा, मनरेगा। In the last three years, fund for the crucial schemes is stagnating. It was Rs. 29,213 crore in 2011-12; Rs. 30,274 crore in 2012-13 and Rs. 33,000 crore in 2013-14.
I come coming now to Child Welfare Scheme. वर्ष2013-14में साढ़े छह परसेंट कम कर दी गई।...(व्यवधान)मैं अपनी बात भी करूंगा, इतनी क्या जल्दी है, अभी आपको दस साल उधर बैठना है।The total allocation in the Ministry of Minority Affairs has been decreased from Rs. 3,530 crore to Rs. 3,100 crore. कांग्रेस की यूपीए सरकार की आमदनी अट्ठनी थी और खर्चा रुपया था। इस कारण हमें यह स्थिति विरासत में मिली है। But we are going to come out of this.
महोदय, अगर हम एक-एक बात करें जैसे इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर की बात है। If a country has to come out from such situation, the first concentration has to be on infrastructure. महोदय, बुलेट ट्रेन कोई शब्द नहीं है। बुलेट ट्रेन मोदी सरकार की संकल्पना है। बुलेट ट्रेन की तरह इकोनोमी को आगे ले जाना चाहते हैं। सपना देखने की हिम्मत हमारे में है। सपना देखने के लिए भी हिम्मत चाहिए और लोगों ने हमें यह सपना पूरा करने के लिए बहुत सामर्थ्य दिया है। मैं मानता हूं कि यहां बहुत चर्चा हो रही थी कि डिफेंस में एफडीआई। मुझे समझ नहीं आता है कि जब कभी हम कोई बात करते हैं तो क्या वह हमारी समझ में आती है। यानी कि डिफेंस प्रोडक्शन यहां मत करो। हमारा सैनिक सीमा पर लड़ेगा लेकिन उसकी बंदूक में जो गोली होगी वह अमरीका से, फ्रांस से या जर्मनी से हम इम्पोर्ट करेंगे। अगर मैं जर्मनी से या जापान से या फ्रांस से लाता हूं तो उसका क्या मतलब है? फिर100प्रतिशत एफडीआई हो गया कि नहीं हो गया? And, it is not only 100 per cent manufacture by a foreigner but also with control and everything remains there उसके बदले में अगर हमारे अरुण जेटली जी या नरेन्द्र मोदी जी यह संकल्पना रखते हैं कि आज मैं 49 प्रतिशत और चार साल के बाद मैं 25 प्रतिशत करूंगा और दस साल के बाद पूरा डिफेंस प्रोडक्शन हिन्दुस्तान की कंपनियां बनाएंगी। मैं यह नहीं समझ सकता हूं कि मेरे यहां का इंजीनियर नासा में जाकर काम करता है, मेरे यहां मुंबई मेंविकरोली में गोदरेज कंपनी है। वहां पर अमरीका की नासा का माल बनता है। डिफेंस के इंस्ट्रूमेंट्स, आइटम्स बनते हैं । गोदरेज अमरीका के नासा के लिए बना सकती है लेकिन यह गोदरेज हिन्दुस्तान के लिए नहीं बना सकती। यह आपकी अर्थनीति है।...(व्यवधान)ऐसी अर्थ नीति हमें नहीं चाहिए और हमें नहीं हिन्दुस्तान की जनता ने कहा कि यह आपने जिस तरह का माहौल बनाकर रखा है, ...(व्यवधान)
हमने फाइनेंस एंड कैपिटल मार्केट के लिए रिफॉर्म्स रखे हैं। मेरे मित्र जयंत सिन्हा ने कहा कि we want more investors, whether it is rich or small investors. What is Kisan Vikas Patra? किसान विकास पत्र हम सब जानते हैं कि अपने गांव में अपने क्षेत्र में छोटी इंकम ग्रुप की महिलाएं अपने पति से छुपाकर कुछ बचत करती हैं और बचत यानी कहां इंवेस्टमेंट करना है, आज अपने पास इंस्ट्रूमेंट्स नहीं हैं तो अरुण जेटली जी ने, गांव के लिए छोटी इंकम ग्रुप के लोगों के लिए किसान विकास पत्र का रास्ता बताया। मैं उनका स्वागत करता हूं। आज मैन्युफैक्चरिंग के लिए इतने सारे इंसेंटिव्स डिक्लेअर किये। 10 साल से, 12 साल से हिन्दुस्तान के लोग चिंता करते हैं कि पैन से लेकर प्यानो, पहनने वाली चप्पलों से लेकर हेअर क्रीम तक हम चाइना से इम्पोर्ट करते हैं। मेरा पूरा मैन्युफैक्चरिंग सैक्टर ट्रेडर बन गया है। इस स्थिति में अगर मोदी सरकार परिवर्तन लाती है तो इसमें गलत क्या है?
इसी प्रकार के जो सुझाव दिये हैं, मैं इसके बारे सिर्फ उल्लेख करूंगा और डिफेंस के बारे में एक और बिन्दु कहना चाहूंगा। अभी कुछ दिन पहले हमारे प्रधान मंत्री जी ने दूसरे देशों के लिए पांच सैटेलाइट छोड़े। अगर मेरा‘इसरो’जर्मनी से लेकर दूसरे देशों के लिए बना सकता है तो फिर यहां पर अगर फॉरेन के कोई पार्टनर लेकर वे क्यों नहीं बना सकते?
मैं अंत में अपनी बात को समाप्त करते हुए दो बातों का उल्लेख करना चाहूंगा। बीजेपी का समय है। मैं वित्त मंत्री जी से विनती करना चाहूंगा कि आपने स्मॉल इंवेस्टर को अनेक रियायतें दी हैं लेकिन आजI think this is the Budget which is being passed in July. हमें टैक्स रिटर्न 1अप्रैल 2014 से31मार्च 2014 तक भरने पड़ते हैं। आपने जो डैफ्ट फंड वाला यानी बहुत अच्छा कदम उठाया। because that instrument was misused for arbitrage. अच्छा कदम है लेकिन 1अप्रैल से लेकर जुलाई तक का जो पीरिएड है, उसके बारे में अगर आप थोड़ा स्पष्टीकरण दे देंगे तो छोटे निवेशकों को एक अच्छा पॉजीटिव मैसेज जाएगा। इसी तरह से रियल एस्टेट में कुछ नयी स्कीम लेकर आए हैं। I understand this being the beginning.
मुझे लगता है कि हमें थोड़ा और होम वर्क करके क्योंकि मुझे एक ही बात की तरफ आप सबका ध्यान आकर्षित करना है। हमने एक सिस्टम बना रखा है कि ब्लैक मनी या स्विस बैंक एकाउंट जो हम बोलते हैं, आज तक हम मॉडैस्ट जस्ट रूट बोलते थे। What is modest just route? Modest just route is nothing but to pass out the regulator and to bypass the regulatory system. यहां तक टैक्स बचाने के लिए हमारे लोग ही वहां कंपनियां खोलते हैं। यह रिट्ज अगर मैं सिंगापुर में खोलूंगा तो मुझे सिर्फ12प्रतिशत टैक्स भरना पड़ेगा।
जहां तक विश्वास निर्माण करने की बात है, मैं एक ही बात कहकर समाप्त करूंगा कि हां, हमारी आंखों में भविष्य के स्वर्णिम स्वप्न हैं। हमें नया भारत बनाना है। हमारी आंखों में अटल जी की कविता है, भविष्य के स्वर्णिम स्वप्न हैं किंतु हम निद्रा में नहीं हैं, हमें वर्तमान की चुनौती स्वीकार है। वर्ष2022में जब हिन्दुस्तान अपनी आजादी का75वां वर्ष मना रहा होगा तो विश्व में डेवलप्ड इंडिया होगा और पहले पांच देशों में हमारा देश होगा, मैं इतना विश्वास दिलाता हूं।
*SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN (KHEDA): Hon’ble Speaker, I am giving my views on the General Budget of NDA Government and support this Budget wholeheartedly. For the last 10 years of the UPA Government, the GDP was very low and during the last 2 years, it was only 4.5 and 4.7%.
During the UPA Government, the performance of manufacturing sector was very low. Due to which there were tremendous jobless youth in India.
The Government should implement the GST with the confidence of the State Government.
There is large scale purchase in the Defence sector. Almost 70% are imported and we are the largest purchaser in the whole world. So we have increased it from 26% to 49% in Defence.
The allocation of tourism should be increased.
Social Sector Schemes must be implemented very effectively by the NDA Government.
This Budget must increase the Medium and Small Scale Industries which may create more jobs in the country.
The excise duty is very low and more relief should be given to tax payers, particularly the income tax payers of this country.
Savings must be high after the new relief that was announced by the Government, though it was very low during the last 10 years of the UPA Government.
The Government is trying to help the poor by forming a similar policy which is also a pro-poor policy.
This Budget will really boost the Indian economy and that is why I strong support this Budget.
SHRI A. ANWHAR RAAJHAA (RAMANATHAPURAM): Hon. Chairman, I thank you for this opportunity to speak on the Union General Budget for the year 2014-15. Sir, this is my maiden speech, so I hope the Chair may be kind to me.
Firstly, I would like to thank our respected leader, hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, revolutionary leader ‘Amma’, for enabling me to become a Member of Parliament in Lok Sabha. Then, I would like to thank the people of my Constituency, who heeded to our leader and voted for me.
I express my support for the General Budget in general. I would like to follow my leader Amma in welcoming and appreciating the Budget. I was impressed by the presentation of the Finance Minister. Then, I was reminded of the famous lines of Thiruvalluvar:
Iyatralum Eatalum Katahthalum Kaththa Vaguthalum Valladhu Arasu ‘The might of a Government is in creating viable resources, earn revenue, safeguard them and spend prudently’ is the substance of this couplet. Our dynamic Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, hon. Amma, follows the Kural to be successful as an administrator.
Sir, I am new to this House. I watch the proceedings keenly. I am amazed to see the unfortunate chaos on non-issues. It is unfortunate that a seasoned national party does this. In the past, BJP and others in the Opposition took up only issue-based agitations. It used to be on scams like 2G, Commonwealth Games, coal, Adarsh Housing Society, helicopter deal and so on. The voice of the Opposition used to be raised against corruption and to bring them to light.
This year’s Union Budget is a forward looking one. It satisfies many in many ways. It is responsible because it follows financial discipline. I thank the Government at the Centre for announcing many Tamil Nadu specific schemes. Smart City programme and the National Institute of Ageing at Madras Medical College in Chennai have been announced. They were already proposed by our hon. Chief Minister, Amma. So, I thank the Government again. Outer harbour project in Thoothukkuidi, Ultra Mega Solar Power Plant proposals are really welcome. I urge upon the Government to allocate and release funds for their speedy completion. As in the Railway Budget, foreign and private participation are hinted again in the General Budget.
Our hon. Chief Minister, Amma had cautioned that the foreign direct investment will throw lakhs of people in retail business to miseries. This is our Amma’s view that the foreign direct investment should not be allowed in retail trade. In revamping work allocation under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, the Centre has done a commendable job. In revamping work allocation under MGNREGS, the Centre has done a commendable job. Hereafter, the works will be linked to agricultural operations and it is a welcome step. I am very proud to say that the Union Government has accepted our hon. Amma’s valuable suggestions in this regard.
As proposed in the Budget, the Centre will give a facelift to certain heritage towns, like Kancheepuram and Velankanni in Tamil Nadu. I would request hon. Prime Minister to include Srirangam also, which is in the heart of Tamil Nadu. Our Chief Minister, Amma, who is in the heart of Tamil Nadu, has also asked our Prime Minister to consider this. I am happy to say that this Government is open to good suggestions from good administrators like our hon. Amma.
The most appreciable salient feature of this Budget is the allocation of Rs. 100 crore for preparing Detailed Project Reports for linking the rivers of India. Inter-linking of rivers is a must for India to increase rural GDP. Our revolutionary leader Amma had emphasised this as early as during the first stint of the NDA Government led by hon. Atal Bihari Vajpayee. I think, hon. Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s name will glow in the history if he goes for linking of rivers, a vital need of our country.
Nearly 70 per cent of our population depend on rural agro economy. People under BPL are more in the rural India. Giving a boost to rural economy’s growth is the need of the hour. It can be a key to solve many problems like unemployment and poverty in rural India.
Deforestation and changes in ecosystem have affected the groundwater potential severely. The only solution is in linking the perennial rivers of our country. Wasteful flow of our rivers into the oceans is a matter of great concern. If all the rivers are linked, we can wipe out poverty.
I urge upon the Government to establish an autonomous National River Authority as a constitutional body, like Election Commission. This is necessary to make the best use of our rivers, the national assets. Day in, day out, we witness water disputes among different States. The Cauvery water dispute is pending for long. All the States concerned can get problems solved to their satisfaction if all the rivers are linked.
I hope that the present Government led by Shri Modi will take up this as the mother of all mega projects – the linking of all the rivers of the nation – and improve the life of the poor.
All these years the Congress has been giving false promises about removing poverty, but they cared for none. We have witnessed only starvation deaths of some lakhs of farmers due to debt traps. Even the Food Security Scheme of the UPA Government has vanished in thin air.
Here, I would like to point out that our Tamil Nadu Government led by Amma provides free rice to all the poor people holding family ration cards. In this fight against poverty, to implement this scheme, Tamil Nadu Government spends more than Rs. 4,000 crore per year. In order to eradicate poverty, I would request the Centre to introduce this scheme throughout India. Till then the Centre may provide a matching sum spent on that scheme in Tamil Nadu.
Sir, I appeal to the collective conscience of this House. This is the sad tale of our own fishermen. This issue relates to my constituency because it is situated in the coastal area and comprise of five districts of the coastal area. All of them are Indian citizens. All these fishermen from the coastal Tamil Nadu are being attacked continuously. Hundreds of them have been killed. Thousands of them have been brutally attacked. Many a time the catches and the boats of our fishermen have been taken away. Arresting our fishermen and taking them in custody is going on, and only a firm and determined action will put an end to this sort of behaviour.
Why our Indian Government is not firm to save our Tamil fishermen? Are they not Indian citizens? Why there is no definite action to stop aggressive acts of Sri Lanka? Why there is no interest shown by our Union Government to provide safety and security to our poor fishermen to carry on with their traditional occupation of fishing? What is the reason for this? All these poor fishermen from our coastal areas of Tamil Nadu must get protection from our own defence forces. Our Finance Minister, who is also the Defence Minister, has increased allocation for defence. We know that the increased funds are to safeguard our interests, and our Indian nationals.
Sir, our fishermen are treated very badly by even our own custodians of law and law-enforcing agencies. When a net is spread, what kind of fish will be caught cannot be predicted, but accidental catch of sea cucumber leads to severe punishment for poor fishermen and lifting the ban on catching sea cucumber will save the situation.
Repeated false charges, leveled by Sri Lanka on our fishermen that they violate maritime boundary line of two countries, are serious. In high seas, stray accidental crossings are normal, but Sri Lanka crosses the limit. We call them a friendly country. I feel that taking back Katchatheevu alone can be a solution for this situation. Our Amma is all for our fishermen. She is firm on getting back Katchatheevu, and the rights of Indian fishermen. The Indian Government must not point at inter-country agreements. What happened to the Simla Accord? What happened to the Rajiv-Jayawardene Accord? What happened to the earlier accords of Sri Lanka? Are all the Tamils living safely on both sides? Handing over Katchatheevu has no parliamentary approval. So, we need to revisit this issue.
Our leader, Amma, has said that our Prime Minister, Shri Modi, may not be aware of the Affidavit filed before the Supreme Court claiming that our fishermen cannot go for fishing near Katchatheevu. Hence, I would urge upon the Union Government to get back Katchatheevu and solve this problem once and for all.
Our Navy must guard our maritime boundary-line, and protect our Indian fishermen and the increased budgetary allocation for defence must be better utilised for this purpose.
With this, expressing our support to the Budget, I conclude my speech.
HON. CHAIRPERSON: Hon. Members, it is going to be 6 o’clock. Hence, if the House feels it appropriate, then we can extend the time of the House by one more hour.
SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY (SARAN): Sir, what would happen to the ‘Zero Hour’?
HON. CHAIRPERSON: This debate on the General Budget will continue till 7 o’clock. Thereafter, we will take up ‘Zero Hour’. Therefore, the time of the House is extended up to 7 o’clock.
SEVERAL HON. MEMBERS : Yes, Sir.
HON. CHAIRPERSON: The next speaker is Shri B. S. Yediyurappa.
*डॉ. वीरेन्द्र कुमार (टीकमगढ़)- आम बजट विकासोन्मुखी है, यह बजट विकास के रास्ते खोलेगा। इसमें युवाओं, महिलाओं और समाज के विभिन्न वर्गों के उत्थान के लिये प्रावधान किये गये हैं। अर्थव्यवस्था को मजबूती देने वाले मेन्यूफैच्रिंग व इफ्रास्ट्रक्चर क्षेत्र को बढ़ावा देने के अलावा यह बजट वित्तीय बजट को मजबूती प्रदान करेगा। सबको स्वास्थ्य लाभ देने के प्रति सरकार की प्रतिबद्धता बजट में स्पष्ट दिखायी दे रही है। चार नये अखिल भारतीय आयुर्विज्ञान संस्थान स्थापित करने, मुफ्त दवाओं और निदान सेवाओं को प्राथमिकता देने की बात बजट में कही गयी है। बजट में 12 और सरकारी मेडिकल कॉलेज खोलने का प्रस्ताव है। दंत चिकित्सा से जुड़े उच्च स्तरीय अध्ययन के लिए राष्ट्रीय स्तर का एक अनुसंधान केन्द्र स्थापित किया जायेगा। राज्यों में 15 आदर्श ग्रामीण स्वास्थ्य अनुसंधान संस्थान स्थापित करने की घोषणा स्वागतयोग्य कदम है। इन सभी प्रयत्नों से चिकित्सा क्षेत्र में सुधार होगा तथा डॉक्टरों की कमी की समस्या भी कुछ हद तक दूर हो सकेगी। सरकार देश के पांच लाख भूमिहीन किसानों को सस्ते दरों पर कर्ज मुहैया करायेगी। झारखंड एवं आसाम में दो कृषि अनुसंधान केन्द्रों की स्थापना तथा आंध्र प्रदेश एवं राजस्थान में कृषि विश्वविद्यालय, तेलंगाना और हरियाणा में बागवानी विश्वविद्यालय बनाने की घोषणा एवं किसान विकास पत्र फिर से प्रारंभ किये जाने वाले कदमों से कृषि क्षेत्र को काफी बल मिलेगा।
बेटी बचाओ-बेटी पढ़ाओ अभियान को महत्व देते हुए सबसे पहले बालिकाओं के स्कूल में जरूरी सुविधाएं उपलब्ध कराने की पहल की गई है। स्कूलों के प्रदर्शन का ऑकलन करने के लिए और शिक्षकों को प्रशिक्षित करने के लिए नए पाठय़क्रम शुरू करने की योजना प्रभावी साबित होगी तथा लड़कियां बीच में पढ़ाई न छोड़े, इसके लिए बालिकाओं के सभी स्कूलों में पेयजल एवं शौचालय की उपलब्धता सुनिश्चित की जायेगी। सरकारी सड़क परिवहन में महिलाओं की सुरक्षा योजना शुरू की जायेगी। शहरो में महिलाओं की सुरक्षा बढ़ाने की योजना पर 150 करोड़ रूपए खर्च किये जायेंगे।
बजट में आतंरिक एवं बाहरी सुरक्षा का विशेष ध्यान रखा गया है। रक्षा एवं गृह मंत्रालय के बजट में खासी बढ़ोतरी की गई है। उससे भी बड़ी बात यह है कि सरकार ने शहीदों के संबंध में युद्ध और पुलिस स्मारक बनाने की घोषणा की, जिससे उन सैनिकों के परिजनों में गर्व का भाव जागृत हुआ है। पुलिस बलों के आधुनिकीकरण पर विशेष ध्यान दिया गया है।
अनुसूचित जाति योजना के लिए 50548 करोड़ रूपये तथा जनजातीय उपयोजना के लिए32387 करोड़ रूपये के प्रावधान से समाज के अंतिम छोर पर खड़े लोगों को सामाजिक, आर्थिक, शैक्षणिक दृष्टि से बराबरी पर लाने में मदद मिलेगी।
आवासहीनों, विशेषककर युवाओं को अपने घर के लिए प्रोत्साहित करने हेतु गृह ऋणों पर विस्तारित अतिरिक्त कर प्रोत्साहन योजना को प्रभावी बनाने से तथा राष्ट्रीय आवास बैंक के सहारे निम्न लागत के सस्ते मकानों संबंधी मिशन गठित होने से आवास कमी की समस्या काफी सीमा तक हल करने में मदद मिलेगी। इंकम टैक्स में भी छूट के लिए उठाये गये कदमों की सभी वर्गों के द्वारा सराहना की जा रही है।
बजट काफी सराहनीय है, फिर भी कुछ विशेष कदम उन क्षेत्रों के विकास के लिए उठाने की आवश्यकता है, जो दौड़ में अभी बहुत पीछे है। मध्य प्रदेश का बुन्देलखण्ड आज विशेष संरक्षण चाहता है। बुन्देलखंड पैकेज से शुरूआत हुई है, किंतु जल आवर्धन सिंचाई की बड़ी योजनाएं अभी टीकमगढ़, छतरपुर, सागर, पन्ना में बनाने की आवश्यकता है। नदियों को आपस में जोड़ने की योजना एन.डी.ए. सरकार के समय बनायी गयी थी, उसमें टीकमगढ़, छतरपुर की केन एवं बेतवा नदियों को प्रथम चरण में जोड़ा जाना था। वह कार्य अब प्राथमिकता से किया जाना चाहिये। इस योजना से म.प्र. एवं उत्तर प्रदेश के कई जिले लाभांवित होंगे। सिंचाई के साथ पेयजल समस्या का निदान एवं रोज़गार के अवसरों का सृजन होगा। टीकमगढ़, छतरपुर संसदीय क्षेत्र में कृषि विज्ञान केन्द्रों एवं मिनोरा फार्म पर काफी कृषि भूमि उपलब्ध है। प्रदेश सरकार ने भी केन्द्रीय कृषि विश्वविद्यालय के लिए भूमि उपलब्ध कराने का प्रस्ताव दिया था। अतः केन्द्रीय कृषि विश्वविद्यालय संसदीय क्षेत्र में खोला जाना चाहिये तथा कृषि पर आधारित उद्योग अथवा खाद कारखाना खोलने की योजना आवश्यक है।
छतरपुर में एन.टी.पी.सी. खोले जाने का कार्य आरंभ हो गया है। यहां के पहाड़ों में पाये जाने वाले पत्थरों में लोहे की मात्रा बहुत अधिक है। अतः स्टील कारखाना छतरपुर में खोला जाना चाहिये। स्टील ऑथोरिटी ऑफ इण्डिया ने भी मध्य प्रदेश शासन के साथ इन्वेस्टर्स मीट में इस संबंध में हस्ताक्षर भी किये थे। बिजली उपलब्ध होने से स्टील कारखाना खोलना आसान हो जायेगा।
बुन्देलखण्ड में पर्यटन की अपार संभावनायें हैं। ओरछा, खजुराहो जैसे प्रसिद्ध पर्यटक एवं धार्मिक स्थल यहां हैं। महाराजा छत्रसाल के शौर्य से जुड़ी अनेक स्थलियां एवं पुरातत्व से जुड़े अनेक स्थान यहां हैं। कुन्डेश्वर, ओरछा, मऊ, सहानियां, खजुराहों, जटाशंकर, बल्देवगढ़ का किला का एक पर्यटक सर्किल बनाकर 3-4दिनों का टूर बनाया जा सकता है। देश-विदेश से बड़ी संख्या में पर्यटक एवं धार्मिक जन यहां आते हैं। सड़कों का विस्तार पर्यटन सुविधाओं में वृद्धि एवं खजुराहों के एयरपोर्ट का अंतर्राष्ट्रीय हवाई अड्डा के रूप में विस्तार एवं ओरछा में हवाई सुविधाओं के प्रारंभ होने से पर्यटकों की संख्या में काफी वृद्धि तथा राजस्व आय में वृद्धि होने के साथ ही रोज़गार के अवसर भी बढ़ेंगे।
अंत में विकासवादी बजट लाने के लिए मैं प्रधानमंत्री माननीय नरेन्द्र मोदी जी एवं वित्त मंत्री माननीय अरूण जेटली का धन्यवाद करते हुए बजट का समर्थन करता हूँ।
HON. CHAIRPERSON: The next speaker is Shri B. S. Yediyurappa.
SHRI B.S. YEDIYURAPPA (SHIMOGA): Hon. Chairperson and hon. Members :
In the election of 2014, people of India have voted for a change. They want a change not merely of the ruling Party, but also change in the way the economy was being managed. The latest Budget presented by Shri Arun Jaitley gives several indications of the positive changes that Shri Modi’s Government wants to bring about.
18.00 hrs Definitely, there was a lot of eagerness among the people, and this Budget has tried to address their excitements to an optimum level by focussing on the priorities and roadmap. We all know that Budget presentation is not a one-day event; it is a journey to accomplish the Government’s vision during its term. Given the current situation, the Budget creation was a tough task by any standards.
The Finance Minister has made sensible choices around available resources and has articulated a roadmap towards reducing the fiscal deficit and fuelling economic growth. While all of us hope he achieves the ambitious target of containing the fiscal deficit and curtailing public expenditure, executing it seems very challenging. His focus on giving fillip to infrastructure seems exhaustive and he has rightfully protected the common man’s interest in his maiden Budget.
Now, I would like to share my opinion on the Budget provisions and proposals. This Government is in power for just seven weeks and in seven weeks any Government can do little for the restoration of economy which was in rundown shape. While last several Budgets positioned our country’s economy on ventilator rather than diagnosing the disease and starting the treatment thereon, this maiden Budget carries a huge amount of clarification, intent and stressing on almost all the major sectors. Hence, there is a resounding acceptance of this Budget from most of the sectors of our country saying that it has focussed on key issues that would boost economic growth.
Firstly, I congratulate the Finance Minister for allowing 49 per cent FDI in Defence sector which will reduce the burden on India’s Defence budget. For India, being the ninth topmost country of the world, which spends 2.5 per cent of its GDP towards Defence sector, this move was much awaited in the wake of faltering economy. Liberalisation of FDI in commerce sector will provide much-needed certainty to foreign players and to a sector that has the promise to provide increased commerce and generate employment in the country.
I think this Budget also scores with its focus on core sectors with emphasis on roads, dams, airports, tourism and river-linking.
Hon. Members, though we cannot see the fruits of these proposals immediately, in the long run, these proposals are bound to benefit the people at large. The corpus fund of Rs. 10,000 crore to promote entrepreneurship will have a long-standing effect on the development of small and medium scale industries in the country.
With the experience of presenting five consecutive budgets for our State, I was also the first Finance Minister of this country to present a separate Agriculture Budget along with the sixth general budget in Karnataka during 2011, I humbly would like to draw your attention to agriculture sector more particularly.
While ‘agriculture’ being the stellar sector of any given budget, I admire the Finance Minister for earmarking Rs. 8-lakh crore for lending in agriculture sector as compared to that of Rs. 7-lakh crore in the previous Budget.
As we all know, more than 50 per cent of the farmers in this country are deep in debts. This is a good proposal and the only concern is banks should be prevailed upon to reach this target lending. I am suggesting this with the fact that banks, especially the nationalized banks show reluctance to lend the farmers.
Strict direction to banks to abide by this proposal will help the farmers in a big way. This will automatically boost the country’s food production which has got stagnated for many years i.e. 215 million tons. Sir, though I know that the farmers contribution to GDP is 21 per cent, one should not forget the fact that it provides food security to 125 crore people of the country. In an agrarian set up like us, farm sector plays a great role in providing sustainable life to the millions of people who are yet to see the light of development.
Sir, the rural areas are still home to almost 72 per cent of the India’s population, a large number of whom are poor. Most of the rural poor depend on rain-fed agriculture and fragile forests for their livelihoods.
Agricultural growth has reduced rural poverty to some extent. However, slow down in the phase of agricultural growth has become a major cause for concern. Our budget places high priority to reduce poverty by raising agricultural productivity. Bold action is required to shift away from the existing subsidy based regime which is no longer sustainable. We need to build a solid foundation for a highly productive, internationally competitive and diversified agriculture sector. If agriculture was to be injected with the much needed economic stimulus package, I am sure the Indian farmers can flood the country with food, fruits and vegetables. India can certainly emerge as one of the biggest exporters of agricultural commodities. We have to boost the agriculture production. When a country like China which produced only 30 to 40 million tons of food grains 50 years ago has crossed 400 million tons today, why not India with abundant natural resources and water with favourable round the year agri-climatic conditions cannot reach China’s food production capacity.
Sir, an exclusive Kisan Television channel to provide real time information to farmers is a welcome step but this should be extended to all languages. Agriculture departments need to be sensitised and activated to respond to the farmers needs.
Sir, Karnataka being the largest supplier of spices, arecanuts, coconuts and tobacco and other produces, farmers need an assured price for their produce. During my tenure as Chief Minister, I had created a Price Stabilization Fund for market intervention whenever prices of these Commodities fall. Sir, I demand on behalf of my State farmers to allocate central funds to these corpus funds which deal with individual commodities and produces. This will go a long way in protecting the coconut growers who form a large chunk of the farming community.
Sir, a provision of Rs. 1000 crore for “assured irrigation” to farm lands when it is hit by monsoons is a welcome move. Allocation of Rs.5000 crore for “increase in warehousing capacity” to protect agriculture produce and Rs.56 crore to set up “100 Mobile Soil Testing Laboratories” is much appreciated. But as he mentioned in his Budget speech, “Farming is an activity which nearly contributes one-sixth to our national GDP and a major portion of our population is dependent on it for livelihood”, I would request him to review and hike the above allocated funds.
Reduction of excise duty on specified food processing and packing machinery from ten per cent to six per cent will definitely boost domestic production, tackle the food inflation and thus ensuring food security.
As it is the first Budget, the Government can take a lenient view of the farm sector, but in the coming year, I fervently request the Finance Minister to analyse the need of presenting separate “Union Agriculture Budget”.
A remarkable feature of the Budget is the allocation and soaps to power sector. Any country’s development depends on the power sector and electricity. The developed countries are the best examples on this score. Any country where there is quality power, there will be increased production of food grains and goods and in turn boost the GDP. Tax holiday for power projects and assured coal supply to the power units which would start functioning before March 2015, will go a long way in boasting the power production in the country. This would also help many power projects which have got stuck mid-way to revive them. The Government can think of investing more and exploring the country’s capacity in nuclear power sector.
I would like to congratulate the Government on two scores, one for providing more funds for agriculture and education sector, particularly the girls’ education through Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana. You may recollect how my similar scheme on girl child “Bhagyalakshmi” for BPL families is still most popular among the people, especially rural women of Karnataka. Even free bicycle scheme for school children irrespective of their social background is being appreciated by many. This has reduced drop-out percentage in rural areas to a large extent. I would urge upon him to provide more funds for the education of girl child and their economic development.
It is also a good proposal to boost infrastructure sector. About 8,500 kilometres of highway development and smart cities are a good beginning on this score compared to that of 7000 kilometres as was there in the last Budget. Smart city concept does remind me of hon. Former President Dr. Abdul Kalam’s concept of PURA, that is, “Provision of Urban Amenities to Rural Areas”. But, a far bigger challenge is to make old cities smarter. This can happen only with your Good Governance Reforms. I profusely thank him for the allotments made for Karnataka for the smart city concept. But, I think, Karnataka would have got more from this Budget as the people of my State have reposed their total faith in our Party’s leadership. Kindly make more allocations to the State in the supplementary inclusions.
Tax relief provided to individuals is a welcome measure especially when the government is facing a hard macroeconomic condition. The rise in basic exemption limit of Rs.50,000 will benefit all the individuals. The increase of savings provision from Rs.1 lakh to Rs.1.5 lakh will help achieve twin objectives of encouraging the households to make long-term savings, and also increase the overall savings rate in the economy which has fallen considerably over the last five years. Increase in deduction for interest paid on housing loan for a self-occupied house property from Rs.1.5 lakh to Rs.2 lakh will provide a boost to the housing and banking sectors, and increase job opportunities in the market for unskilled and semi-skilled workers.
It is a path-breaking budget with major focus on real estate and infrastructure. To begin with, REITs being awarded a pass-through status will attract significant investments into the sector which is the need of the hour. An allocation of Rs.7,060 crore indicates that equal attention has been paid to infrastructure growth which is often interlinked with demand for real estate. Various other monetary incentives such as an allocation of Rs.4,000 crore towards affordable housing back the government’s vision of providing housing to all by 2022.
Sir, currently there are a number of Centre-sponsored schemes relating to States which lack clarity. I request the Finance Minister to come out with a structure wherein the Centre and the States can jointly review the implementation of each scheme much before the ending of each financial year so that the beneficiaries do not miss out on opportunities.
While increased government spending is necessary in such troubled times to support economic growth, it also becomes a challenge as fiscal deficit rises. I welcome the Budget’s fiscal consolidation roadmap that aims to reduce India’s fiscal deficit to 4.8 per cent in financial year 2014, 4.2 per cent in 2015, 3.6 per cent in 2016, and 3 per cent by 2017. To comply with this the government has to reduce its expenditure on interest and subsidies, both of which put together form almost 40 per cent of our total expenditure. Hence, curbing subsidies, spending lesser proportions on administration, and drawing redlines by not exceeding limits on such expenses are unavoidable.
I value the feelings of the people of this great nation who have reposed their complete faith in Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s promise of ‘less government and more governance’, which literally ended the era of gloomy governance by UPA-1 and UPA-2 governments.
Hon. Chairman, with these words I conclude my speech by passing on the good wishes to Shri Arun Jaitleyji for converting hope into reality as well as for effective execution of this non-populist, prudent budget which deviated from the previous governments’ appeasement and vote bank budgets.
श्री धर्म वीर गांधी (पटियाला) : सभापति महोदय, मैंने अरूण जेटली जी के बजट भाषण को सुना है और उसके मुख्य अंश को पढ़ा भी है। यह पढ़कर और सुनकर मैं ईमानदारी के साथ कह सकता हूं कि मुझे यह बजट एक अलग बजट न लग कर, यूपीए-3 का बजट लगता है। जो भी बातें इस बजट में कही गयी हैं, जिन आर्थिक नीतियों का वर्णन किया गया है, जो प्रोग्राम्स दिए गए हैं, वे सिर्फ़ यूपीए-1 की या यूपीए-2 की जो नीतियां हैं, उन्हें ही आगे ले जाया गया है। उस से कुछ भी भिन्न नहीं है। ये वहीं नीतियां हैं जो हमारे पूर्व प्रधान मंत्री मनमोहन सिंह जी, हमारे चिदम्बरम जी और मोंटेक सिंह अहलूवालिया जी लाए थे। उन नीतियों को ही बढ़ावा दिया गया है। बीजेपी सरकार सत्ता में आई है, उसको जितना बहुमत मिला है, वह बहुत बड़ी जिम्मेदारी के साथ आई है। जो चुनाव के मुख्य मुद्दे बनाये गये थे, उनमें महंगाई थी, भ्रष्टाचार था, कालाधन था, बेरोजगारी थी। इन मुद्दों पर यह सरकार बनी है। भ्रष्टाचार पर कैसे अंकुश लगाया जायेगा, इसका इस बजट में कोई जिक्र नहीं है। महंगाई तो आप जानते हैं कि कैसे इस सरकार के आने के साथ ही उसमें बढ़ावा होना शुरू हुआ है। इसके साथ ही जो कालाधन है, उस पर भी कोई ठोस रास्ता या कोई ठोस इन्तजाम कि उसको कैसे वापस लाया जायेगा, उसका कोई जिक्र तक नहीं किया गया है। जो कालेधन के नोटोरियस रूट्स हैं, मारीशस रूट द्वारा जो कालाधन आता है और जो एफ.डी.आई. के थ्रू कालाधन आता है, उसको कैसे चैक किया जायेगा, उस पर भी कोई ठोस प्रावधान बजट में नहीं है।
मैं यहां यह कहना चाहता हूं कि ‘सब का साथ, सब का विकास’यह नारा सुनने में बहुत अच्छा लगता था। आज भी अच्छा लगता है और बी.जे.पी. वाले हमारे दोस्त इस पर खुश भी हो सकते हैं। जहां तक साथ का सवाल है, देश के लोगों ने हमेशा विकास में योगदान दिया है। अगर गोदाम अनाज से भरे पड़े हैं तो उसके पीछे किसान हैं, परन्तु किसानों के उत्थान के लिए, उनकी प्रगति के लिए इस बजट में कुछ भी नहीं किया गया है। जो कर्ज उनके सिर पर चढ़ा हुआ है, उसके बारे में कोई प्रावधान नहीं है कि कैसे वह कर्ज उनके सिर से उतारा जायेगा। एम.एस.पी. जितना कम बढ़ाया गया है, वह एक मजाक है। जो स्वामीनाथन कमेटी की रिपोर्ट की बात कही गई थी कि हम जब सरकार में आएंगे तो उसको मानेंगे और उसको इंडैक्स से जोड़ेंगे, जो उनकी लागत मूल्य से उनका विक्रय मूल्य होगा, उसके बारे में कोई जिक्र तक नहीं किया गया है। देश में जो सूखे की आशंका है, उसको देखते हुए जो फसल का बीमा होना चाहिए, उसके बारे में कोई जिक्र तक नहीं किया गया है।
अगर मैं प्रोडक्शन की बात करूं कि बाजार सामान से भरे पड़े हैं तो उसके पीछे हमारे मजदूरों का योगदान है, परन्तु हमारे मजदूरों के लिए, जो असंगठित क्षेत्र में हमारे90परसेंट से ज्यादा मजदूर हैं, उनके लिए सामाजिक सुरक्षा, उनके लिए बीमा, उनके लिए नौकरी की सुरक्षा और पैंशन आदि की सुरक्षा का कोई इन्तजाम नहीं किया गया है, उसका कोई जिक्र तक नहीं किया गया है।
देश की जो बहुत बड़ी आबादी है, वह काफी हद तक मैल न्यूट्रीशन का शिकार है। देश के 42 परसेंट बच्चे गम्भीर कुपोषण का शिकार हैं और60परसेंट बच्चे कुंठित हैं। दिमागी तौर पर वे कुंठित हैं, जिनके लिए हमारे पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री ने दो साल पहले‘नेशनल शेम’ का वर्ड यूज़ किया था। स्थिति अब भी वही है, उसमें कोई सुधार नहीं आया है। जो कुपोषण है, वह कोख से लेकर कब्र तक आदमी का पीछा नहीं छोड़ता है और जब तक बहुत बड़ा फंड, हमारे बजट का बड़ा हिस्सा हमारे देश के बच्चों के लिए, उनकी बुनियादी शिक्षा के लिए, बुनियादी सेहत के लिए नहीं दिया जाता, तब तक कोई भी बजट देश की दशा सुधारने में, लोगों की जो हालत है, उसे सुधारने में वह कारगर साबित नहीं होगा।
जहां तक प्राइमरी और सैकेण्डरी एजुकेशन का सवाल है, इसके लिए बहुत कम बजट दिया गया है। हायर एजुकेशन का तकरीबन प्राइवेटीकरण हो चुका है, निजीकरण हो चुका है, वहां बहुत लूट है, शिक्षा का स्तर बहुत नीचा है। बड़े-बड़े पोलीटीशियंस द्वारा ये संस्थाएं चलाई जा रही हैं, उन पर कोई अंकुश नहीं है और उनकी कोई रैगुलेटरी बॉडी नहीं है, जो वहां हो रही इस लूट को खत्म कर सके और शिक्षा के स्तर को ऊंचा उठा सके। उसके लिए कोई बात बजट में नहीं कही गई है।
इसी तरह जो प्राइमरी सेहत है और जो सैकेण्डरी सेहत है, जो सैकेण्डरी हैल्थ है, उसके बारे में कोई जिक्र तक नहीं है। सिर्फ बड़ी-बड़ी संस्थाओं की बात कही गई है, एम्स की बात की गई है, आई.आई.एम्स. की बात की गई है, आई.आई.टीज़. की बात की गई है, बुलेट ट्रेन की बात की गई है, बड़ी-बड़ी बातें की गई हैं, पर इस देश के करीब90परसेंट लोगों को जो बुनियादी सहूलियात चाहिएं, जिंदगी में जो बुनियादी सुधार चाहिए, उनके बारे में कोई जिक्र इस बजट में विशेष रूप से नहीं किया गया है, न ही कोई एलोकेशन किया गया है। मुल्क की जो125करोड़ की आबादी है, यह सब सहारन अफ्रीका के 16मुल्कों से ज्यादा है और जो हमारा ह्यूमन डैवलपमेंट इंडैक्स है, जो जेंडर डैवलपमेंट इंडैक्स है, जो हंगर इंडैक्स है, यह बंगलादेश, श्रीलंका और पाकिस्तान से भी नीचे है। जब तक हम इन बातों को ध्यान में नहीं रखेंगे और उन वर्गों के लिए नीतियां नहीं बनायेंगे, जिनको हम देश कहते हैं, देश की बहुसंख्यक जनता जिसमें आती है, तब तक मैं समझता हूं कि कोई भी बजट कोई भी विकास का मॉडल फेल समझा जाएगा।
मैं अपने सभी भाइयों से कहना चाहता हूं कि आज से पांच साल बाद जब इसका आंकलन होगा, लेखा-जोखा होगा, वह इस बात से नहीं होगा कि हमारे देश के कितने लोग फोर्ब्स की लिस्ट में गए हैं, कितने लोग ट्रिलियन क्लब में ऐड हुए हैं, इस बात से लेखा-जोखा होगा कि हमारे देश का जो हंगर डेवलमेंट इंडेक्स है, वह कितना नीचे गया है, जो जेंडर डेवलपमेंट इंडेक्स है, वह कितना ऊपर गया है और जो ह्यूमन डेवलपमेंट इंडेक्स है, वह कितना ऊपर गया है, इस बात से उसका लेखा-जोखा होगा, न कि उस बात से लेखा-जोखा होगा कि किसकी पूंजी कितनी बढ़ी है, कितने लोग ट्रिलियन क्लब में गये हैं, कितने लोग फोर्ब्स लिस्ट में आये हैं, इस बात से लेखा जोखा नहीं होगा।
श्री भगत सिंह कोश्यारी (नैनीताल - ऊधम सिंह नगर): महोदय, आपका धन्यवाद।
महोदय, माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी द्वारा जो बजट पेश किया गया है, मैं उसके पक्ष में बोलने के लिए खड़ा हुआ हूं।मुझे आज ऐसा लगा कि पार्टी से ऊपर उठकर भी काफी लोगों ने बजट की प्रशंसा की है। जिसने थोड़ी-बहुत अगर कमियां भी निकालीं तो शुरू में यही कहा कि वी एप्रीशिएट इट, हम इसकी प्रशंसा करते हैं। मैं सोचता हूं कि पिछले पांच-सात वर्षों से मैं बजट को सुन रहा हूं, यह पहला अवसर है जब इतने लोगों ने बजट का सम्मान किया, उसका आदर किया और उसके प्रति सब लोगों ने सद्भाव दिखाया।
महोदय, बजट की गहराईयों पर मेरे अनेक साथियों ने, पहले जयंत जी ने, किरीट जी ने और अभी-अभी येदियुरप्पा जी ने बजट की बहुत सारी विशेषताओं पर अपने बयान दिए हैं और अन्य साथियों ने भी दिए हैं।मैं सिर्फ इतना कहना चाहता हूं कि यह बजट निश्चित रूप से अपने आपमें परिपूर्ण है। एक प्रकार का शायद बहुत वर्षों बाद ऐसा बजट दिखा होगा कि जिसका सबसे कम विरोध रहा होगा।
मैं पिछले पांच-सात दिन से मीडिया को देख रहा था, यहां माननीय सदस्यों को भी सुन रहा था। एक बात मैं विशेषकर जो अंग्रेजी माध्यम के पत्र रहते हैं, उनमें एक बात देख रहा था कि there is nothing revolutionary अर्थात इसमें कोई क्रान्तिकारी बात नहीं है। अब उनको यह नहीं लगा कि भारतीय जनता पार्टी ने तो शासन में आने से पहले ही यूपीए पर बुलेट चला दी, वह अपने आपमें बड़ा रिवोल्यूशनरी था, लेकिन उन लोगों ने शायद इस ओर ध्यान नहीं दिया और बहुत से लोगों ने कहा कि यह रिवोल्यूशनरी नहीं है। मैं इस बारे में इतना कह सकता हूं कि बजट को गहराई से सुनने-पढ़ने और पुनः-पुनः देखने के बाद कि यह रिवोल्यूशनरी नहीं हो सकता, यह बात सही है क्योंकि हम कोई रिवोल्यूशनरी काम करने के लिए यहां नहीं आये हैं। हम सब लोगों को देश को धीरे-धीरे आगे बढ़ाना है।
इस बजट में जो काम किया है, वह यह कि इससे पहले के जितने बजट थे,they were all involutionary अर्थात् उनको देखकर ऐसा लगता था कि they show only drowsiness and only sleepiness. ऐसा लगता था कि उस बजट के बाद शायद सब कुछ सो गया है, सारी अर्थव्यवस्था सो गयी है, सारी व्यवस्था अस्त-व्यस्त हो गयी है। मैं सोचता हूं कि हमारे आदरणीय जेटली जी के बजट में एक इवोल्यूशनरी बजट जो आगे के अभ्युदय का बजट है, जो आगे को उत्क्रान्ति का बजट है, ऐसा बजट प्रस्तुत किया है और मैं सोचता हूं कि यह अपने आपमें एक बहुत बड़ी चीज है। सुप्तावस्था से आगे बढ़कर हम धीरे-धीरे आगे अपने लक्ष्य को प्राप्त करेंगे, उस दिशा में यह बजट है, इसलिए मैं इस बजट का स्वागत करता हूं।
मान्यवर, मुझे लगता है कि हमारे वित्त मंत्री जी बहुत विद्वान हैं। विद्वानों के बारे में शेक्सपियर ने एक जगह कहा है कि “Have more than thou showest”. जितना तुम अपने पास दिखाते हो, उससे ज्यादा तुम्हारे पास होना चाहिए। निश्चित रूप से जो कुछ भी उन्होंने बजट में दिखाया है, मैं आप सब माननीय सदस्यों से निवेदन करना चाहूंगा कि अगर आप गहराई में जाएंगे,there is more than what he has shown in his Budget. अगर, आप गहराई में जाएंगे तो there is more than what he has shown in his Budget. अगले वाक्य में शैक्सपीयर कहते हैं - ‘Speak less than thou knowest.’ आप जितना जानते हैं, उससे कम बोलें । वैसे ही अरुण जी कम बोलते हैं। वे नपा-तुला बोलते हैं। मैं सोचता हूं कि शायद वे जितना अधिक बोल सकते थे उससे भी कम बोल कर उन्होंने दिखाया है कि एक गुरु गंभीर, एक धैर्यवान और समझदार व्यक्ति के द्वारा प्रस्तुत किया हुआ बजट है।
मैं बजट के सारे विषयों पर नहीं बोलना चाहता हूं। अगर, मैं सभी विषयों पर बोलूंगा तो अधिक समय लगेगा। बजट में गरीबों से ले कर अमीर तक के लिए बात कही गई है। मैंने विनोबा जी द्वारा लिखी गई बातों को कहीं पढ़ा था। विनोबा जी कहते हैं कि आपकी योजना ऐसी होनी चाहिए, जो दरिद्र नारायण से लेकर श्रीमद नारायण, बद्रीनारायण तक के लिए होनी चाहिए अर्थात् व्यस्टि से ले कर परमेष्टि तक के लिए होनी चाहिए।ऐसा विनोबा जी ने एक जगह कहा है। मैं बड़े विश्वास के साथ कह सकता हूं कि इस बजट में गरीबों से लेकर अमीरों तक सबके लिए कहीं न कहीं कुछ सुविधा है। हो सकता है, कुछ कम दिया गया होगा, लेकिन सबके लिए कहीं न कहीं कुछ न कुछ दिया गया है। इसलिए यह बजट सर्वस्पर्शी है और सबको छूने वाला बजट है। गरीबों के लिए इसमें बहुत-सी चीजें हैं।
सभापति महोदय, समय कम है, इसलिए मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि वर्ष2019तक सारे घरों में स्वच्छता और शौचालय की व्यवस्था करने का लक्ष्य है। यह केवल शब्दों में नहीं है, बल्कि होने वाला काम है। यह काम आपने बजट में करके दिखाया है। इसी प्रकार आपने वर्ष 2022तक सबको घर देने की योजना के बारे में कहा है। हम ऐसे काम करते हैं। जैसे अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी जी ने प्रधान मंत्री ग्रामीण सड़क योजना शुरू की थी। वह आज भी सफल है। मैं हिन्दुस्तान के जिस कोने में भी जाता हूं, वहां सब लोग अटल जी को याद करते हैं कि उन्होंने ऐसी योजना दी है। हम ऐसी योजना बनाते हैं जो सचमुच हो। पिछली सरकार की तरह ऐसी योजना नहीं बनाते कि योजना बना दी लेकिन पता लगा कि सारा पैसा घोटालों में चला गया और काम अधूरे रह गए। मेरे पास मनरेगा के पूरे आंकड़ें हैं, लेकिन मैं उन पर नहीं जाऊंगा। वर्ष2010-11से, ये घटते जा रहे हैं। हम ऐसा काम नहीं करते हैं।
बजट में राष्ट्रीय राजमार्गों के लिए 37 हजार करोड़ रुपये से ज्यादा रखे गए हैं। मनरेगा के लिए 34 हजार करोड़ रुपये से ज्यादा रखे गए हैं। स्मार्ट सिटी के लिए 7 हजार करोड़ से ज्यादा रखे गए हैं। जैसे, मैंने कहा दरिद्र नारायण से बद्रीनारायण तक के लिए इसमें प्रावधान किया गया है। नमामि गंगे, इसमें केदारनाथ और बद्रीनाथ तक की चिन्ता की गई है। यह एक प्रकार का सम्पूर्ण बजट है। मैं समझता हूं कि प्रधान मंत्री सिंचाई योजना बहुत बढ़िया योजना आई है। इसी प्रकार मैन्युफैक्चरिंग, पावर जनरेशन के लिए दस साल तक की टैक्स छूट देने, बुलेट ट्रेन, कृषि में 8 लाख करोड़ रुपए की योजना हो, विनिवेश के लिए 63 हजार करोड़ रुपए की व्यवस्था की गई है। ये सारी चीजें ऐसी हैं जिससे इस बजट को एक प्रकार से परिपूर्ण बजट कह सकते हैं -पूर्णमद:पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात पूर्णमुदच्यते, पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिस्यते।
मैं अपने क्षेत्र के बारे में बताना चाहूंगा। मैं वित्त मंत्री जी से कहना चाहूंगा कि इस समय सूखा पड़ा है। मेरे यहां पेयजल की बहुत कठिनाई है। इसी वर्ष मेरे क्षेत्र में जमरानी बांध, सारे प्रदेश और देश के हित में यमुना में किसाऊ बांध स्वीकार करने का कष्ट करें। रेल मंत्रालय के पास साधन नहीं हैं इसलिए सामरिक दृष्टि से महत्वपूर्ण किच्छा-सितारगंज-टनकपुर-बागेश्वर जो सीमा से मिलती है, इस रेल लाइन को आप नेशनल प्रोजैक्ट के रूप में लेने की कृपा करेंगे तो पूरे देश का भला होगा। आप रक्षा मंत्री भी हैं। उस दिशा में लाभ होगा। इसी प्रकार पूर्व भाजपा सरकार द्वारा औद्योगिक पैकेज दिया गया था। यूपीए सरकार ने उसे हिमाचल और उत्तराखंड में खत्म कर दिया। इसे पुन: जीवित करने का कष्ट करेंगे। मेरे क्षेत्र नैनीताल और उधमसिंह नगर में राष्ट्रीय राजमार्गों की दुर्दशा है। उसके लिए विशेष व्यवस्था करने की कृपा करेंगे। इसी प्रकार नैनीताल क्षेत्र में कोई केन्द्रीय विश्वविद्यालय नहीं है। वहां केन्द्रीय विश्वविद्यालय और सड़कों पर फ्लाई ओवर की योजना बनवाने का कष्ट करेंगे। उत्तराखंड आपदा से पीड़ित है। आप सब जानते हैं कि वहां पुनर्वास की कोई व्यवस्था नहीं हो रही है। अभी इस साल अधिक बारिश नहीं आई, पिछले साल जैसी बारिश होती है, तो अनेक शहर डूब जायेंगे। मेरा निवेदन है कि केन्द्र इस योजना को अपने हाथ में ले। वहां तटबंध बनाने और पुनर्वास योजना के बारे में देखने का कष्ट करें।
एक विशेष निवेदन है कि हिमालय विशेषकर उत्तराखंड में हम पर्यावरण की बहुत रक्षा करते हैं। पर्यावरण के कारण विकास कार्य नहीं हो पाते, इसलिए दो हजार करोड़ रुपये प्रति वर्ष ग्रीन बोनस के रूप में आप देने की कृपा करें।
आपने स्मार्ट सिटी बनाने के बारे में तय किया है। कृपया उत्तराखंड में पलायन रोकने और पर्यटन को बढ़ावा देने के लिए मुक्तेश्वर, पिथौरागढ़ और गैरसेण जैसी जगहों पर स्मार्ट सिटी बनाने का कष्ट करें।
SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL (AMRAVATI): Sir, I rise to support the Budget, 2014-15 on my behalf and on behalf of my Party, Shiv Sena.
The people of India have given a clear mandate to the NDA and to the dynamic leadership of Narendra Modiji. Why have they done so? The people of India were suffering from unemployment, inadequate basic amenities, lack of infrastructure, high prices, shortage of electricity and also from apathetic governance.
Many a time I think that this country, the India, is having all types of natural resources. There is a lot of coastal area on three sides of this country, water resources are there and a lot of sea food is there. We are getting the crude oil out of it. We are getting natural gas out of it. We are also utilizing it for transport facilities. We are also having the highest mountains like the Himalayas, the Girnar sahyadri, etc. We are having a lot of forest resources. There are a lot of minerals like coal, iron ore and so many other minerals. We are also having the second largest population in India.
So many times I compare this country with the neighbouring countries like Singapore and Malaysia which are not having any natural resources. But they are developed countries and unfortunately for years together, India is a developing country. कभी-कभी याद आता है कि 1885में दादा भाई नौरोज़ी की अध्यक्षता में आजादी के लिए एक कांग्रेस का गठन हुआ। जब हमने1947में आजादी पाई तो गांधी जी ने बताया था कि इस कांग्रेस को डिज़ाल्व करो, नहीं तो यह बदनाम हो जाएगी। कांग्रेस बदनाम हुई। माननीय नरेन्द्र मोदी जी ने बताया कि कांग्रेस मुक्त इंडिया बनाना है। अगले साल मुक्ति का दिन भी आने वाला है। इतने साल सत्ता में बैठने के बाद इतने रिसोर्सेज होने के बावजूद जाते-जाते उन्होंने देश का बुरा हाल कर दिया। छोटे-छोटे देश आगे जा रहे हैं, डैवलप हो गए हैं, इसकी थोड़ी सी भी शर्म सत्ताधारी को कभी नहीं लगी। यह देश का दुर्भाग्य है।
After so many years the people of India are looking towards this Budget. People belonging to all sections of society are going to benefit out of this Budget. People who are living below poverty line can hope to rise above poverty line; people who are above poverty line, the middle class, can think of increasing their range of income. This Budget is nothing but a unique document which provides for every section of people of our society. Within the limited resources, the hon. Finance Minister has tried to propose developmental schemes in his Budget.
For example, he has proposed FDI and PPP in several areas. Why can we not introduce FDI and PPP? This is something unique that has been proposed in the Budget. Members from the Opposition had raised this issue of FDI and PPP during the Railway Budget. They were opposing it but our hon. Railway Minister stated that FDI and PPP were not applicable in operational areas, but still they were arguing the point. Manufacturing sector creates jobs. Why can we not have FDI in the manufacturing sector up to a certain limit? A proposal has been made for FDI in the Defence equipment sector. We are presently buying Defence equipments from foreign countries. If there is a cap of 26 per cent on procurement of Defence equipments, then definitely it will help the Defence sector. Secondly, there is a provision that indigenous entrepreneurs in the manufacturing sector of Defence equipments can raise 49 per cent foreign money.
The Government is committed to providing electricity 24x7. The hon. Finance Minister has provided a sum of Rs. 500 crore for this purpose. In the Pradhanmantri Gram Sadak Yojana, the hon. Finance Minister has provided a sum of more than Rs. 14,000 crore. This is a highly successful scheme that was introduced by respected Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji during his time as Prime Minister. The project is still going on and a good sum of money has been provided under this head. Sixty to seventy per cent of the rural roads have been completed under this scheme of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and in these five years the rest of the roads is likely to be completed. A sum of Rs. 1000 crore has been allocated under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchan Yojana for irrigation. It is because many parts of our country are depending upon monsoon. Today, our farmers are looking towards monsoon as there is no rainfall in many areas and that is why, Rs. 1000 crore is set aside for assured irrigation.
Then, coming to Swatchch Bharat Abhiyan, our Finance Minister has assured that by the year 2019, there will be total sanitation throughout our country.
As I told earlier, it is a unique Budget and I support the Budget.
DR. RAVINDRA BABU (AMALAPURAM): Mr. Chairman Sir, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak.
First of all, I congratulate Shri Narendra Modi for having got elected. Like the Presidential elections in America, for the first time in India after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, people have voted for Shri Narendra Modi by looking at his figure as the Prime Minister of India. Though it is not Presidential election, we knew that we were voting for Modi Ji as the Prime Minister and he got elected in a unique way. People had a lot of celebrations and expectations when he won the elections. When Modi Ji took over as the Prime Minister, the whole country went into a celebration mood.
Alongwith that, I, being a part of the Telugu Desam Party headed by a person like Shri Chandrababu Naidu, feel so proud that I got elected to this august House for the first time. I am happy to be associated with Shri Modi and Shri Chandrababu Naidu.
Sir, with such celebrations in the country, there will naturally be high expectations from the crucial Rail and General Budgets. जहाँ प्यार ज्यादा होता है, वहाँ गुस्सा भी बहुत जल्दी आ जाता है। जैसा रेलवे बजट आया है, वैसा जनरल बजट आया है, People expect a lot conveniently forgetting what we have inherited from the previous Government. When LPG has struck India or when liberalisation, globalization and privatization struck India, we stood below sub-Saharan African countries in many economic and social indicators like infant mortality rate and population living below poverty line. About 66 crore of population go for open defecation whereas 90 crore of population are using mobile phones in India. There is such a paradoxical economic situation existing in India because of the lop-sided economic policies pursued by the previous Government. This Government has tried its best to restore and rectify the distortions which have crept into the economic and financial system.
Sir, I congratulate the Finance Minister for having made a good beginning. Of course, as I mentioned earlier, we had a lot of expectations from the Railway Minister when he presented the Railway Budget and the Finance Minister also. As Andhra Pradesh has been bifurcated into two States, Shri Chandrababu Naidu has the credit of the mention of Hyderabad in the international map as a result of which India has been recognized internationally. That is why, Bill Clinton made a personal visit to Hyderabad. India enjoys such a status because of Hyderabad. Now, Shri Naidu is loitering in the State without any office and without any capital. He is conducting his office business under a tree. It is literally happening in Andhra Pradesh. We expect a lot of budgetary support to our State. At least through the supplementary budget, please provide us more than what has already been promised.
Secondly, I hail from such a place to which Shri Balayogi belonged. He had been the most respected Speaker. That place has been the hub of oil and gas production. When I go back to my constituency, those people always ask me one question. इस जगह से जब आयल और गैस जाता है, तो हमारे पास नहीं आता है। हमारे पास डेवलपमेंट के लिए कुछ नहीं होता है। हमारे यहाँ सड़क नहीं है, हमारे यहाँ पीने का पानी नहीं है, यहाँ जॉब नहीं है, ये गैस वगैरह कहाँ जाती है, ये क्रूड वगैरह कहाँ जाता है?
We want funds for a lot of development works and that is why, the expectations of the people are too high. But adding fuel to fire, unfortunately, there was a fire in the gas plant and people perished. Almost 40 persons died. Twenty people died on the spot and 20 people died later on. At this tragic moment, we had high expectations from the Finance Minister and also from the Prime Minister that in the General Budget. I would request earnestly the Government to provide more funds to the State of Andhra Pradesh which has now been orphaned because of the bifurcation. We have to build a capital. Our present Prime Minister already promised during the electioneering and at the time of bifurcation that a city like Delhi will be built in the place of Hyderabad. Also, the hon. Prime Minister, while canvassing for election in Narsapuram, promised Kottapalli – Narsapur railway line. We have been demanding for this railway line. Our Chief Minister met the Railways Minister and made a request. But we have got nothing in this Railway Budget. I would request the Finance Minister to extend us some support in the General Budget and also in the Supplementary Demands for Grants. The State of Andhra Pradesh is looking upto the Centre for funds as we feel orphaned. Any parent will have a soft corner for a handicapped child. Whenever a child is born with a handicap, the parents always take care of the handicapped child first and then only the healthy ones. Other States are wealthy, including Telangana, which has got good financial health, we expect and we request the Finance Minister and also the Prime Minister to please give us more Budgetary support and more funds.
SHRI A. ARUNMOZHITHEVAN (CUDDALORE): Hon. Chairman, Sir, I thank you for giving me an opportunity to speak on the General Budget. I wholeheartedly place my humble salutations to the hon. Chief Minister, Puratchi Thalaivi Amma, the supreme leader of Tamils, who has been working tirelessly in protecting the interests of the people of Tamil Nadu. I bow my head before Amma for her commitment to the cause of Tamils. My heartfelt thanks to the voters of my constituency who have elected me to the House of People.
As regards the Budget, I would like to say that this is a well-planned Budget to place the Indian economy on its growth trajectory. Hon. Chief Minister Amma has welcomed the Budget as soon as it was presented on 10th July, 2014.
We sincerely hope that the new Government would bring the desired growth rate of eight per cent and more to the Indian economy. Several schemes that were announced in the hon. President’s Address to Parliament during the previous Session have been meticulously included in this Budget.
As rightly pointed out by Amma, the Union Government has agreed to the proposal of including asset generation and agricultural activities under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Scheme. I welcome this decision. In order to purify the water polluted by saline and fluoride contents, Rs. 3,600 crore have been earmarked in the current Budget. I insist that additional funds should be allocated to Tamil Nadu to deal with the saline water related issues of the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu. I thank you for accepting the suggestion of hon. Chief Minister Amma to set up a National Centre of Geriatrics in Madras Medical College.
With a view to promoting the tourism sector, Kanchipuram and Velankanni have been included in the list of heritage tourist centres. We welcome it. Like Tirupati, Srirangam also attracts lakhs of pilgrims. I urge that Srirangam should be prominently included in the tourist map of India as the most sought after destination. Hon. Amma, while welcoming the General Budget, has also wished to include Srirangam in the list of heritage towns of the country.
I also welcome the initiative of the Union Government for increasing the income tax exemption limit upto Rs. 2.5 lakh and for increasing the tax exemption limit for savings from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 1.5 lakh. This may very well provide relief to middle class and salaried class people.
The Government has announced concession for equipment meant for solar and wind power generation. I welcome this. I also appreciate the hon. Finance Minister for increasing tax on tobacco and tobacco products.
During the rule of the previous Government, there was no solution for issues like the Cauvery River water sharing, Mullaperiyar Dam and Katchatheevu issue. Hon. Amma relentlessly tried and even went to hon. Supreme Court for restoring justice for Tamil Nadu in all these issues. The previous Congress-led UPA Government paid attention to the ...* and had shown indifferent attitude towards Tamil Nadu. The previous UPA Government did not give importance to the rights and sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu ...* When the Thane Cyclone devastated Tamil Nadu, the State Government demanded an aid of Rs.5,000 crore but unfortunately only a meagre amount of Rs.500 crore was allocated by the then Government. I, therefore, urge the present Government to pay attention to the just demands of Tamil Nadu in an unbiased manner.
I sincerely request that the Union Government should try to find out solutions in the right way to the issues relating to Tamil fishermen, ethnic Tamils living in Sri Lanka and Katchatheevu issue.
I also wish to raise some important issues pertaining to my Cuddalore Parliamentary Constituency. Revival of the famous Cuddalore Port is the need of the hour besides inaugurating inland water transport service between Cuddalore and Chennai. Sea erosion is the end result of Tsunami, heavy floods and Thane Cyclone. The seashore areas in my Cuddalore Constituency are very much affected. The land area has been reduced due to continuous erosion by sea waves and has even resulted in changes to the map of the country.
Many people living in the coastal areas have lost their houses. I should say that even last Saturday, a fisherman lost his house due to erosion by the giant sea waves. Only you can save these people. The Government should protect the lives of fishermen and others who have their habitation along the coastal area on a war-footing basis.
Cashew-nut cultivation is predominant in my constituency. Cashew-nut is grown in Panrutti, Neyveli, Kurinjippadi and other areas. During the Thane Cyclone, due to the timely efforts of hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Amma, the livelihood of cashew-nut growers was protected. In order to fulfil the long-pending demand of cashew-nut growers, I urge the Union Government to set up a Cashew-nut Export Zone in my Cuddalore constituency.
The Neyveli Lignite Corporation is in my constituency. The UPA Government tried to sell 5 per cent of the NLC shares to private parties and because of that uncertainty prevailed in NLC. Hon. Chief Minister Amma had been kind enough to ensure that the State Government of Tamil Nadu purchased 5 per cent shares of the NLC, ending the uncertainty in NLC.
Due to continuous mining and blasting works in NLC, the bore-wells and other water resources in the villages around this area are very much affected. I urge the NLC through you, Sir, that they should adopt these villages and a part of the profit of the NLC should be spent on developmental work relating to these villages.
I wish to bring to the notice of the Union Government the issues between land donors and the NLC. Employment as well as compensation should be provided by the NLC to land donors. The issue between the NLC and the contract labourers should also be solved.
19.00 hrs As per the orders of the hon. Supreme Court, all the contract labourers of NLC should be made permanent employees.
Moreover, NLC has constructed shops and leased them on rent to private parties. There are 1,800 such shops. Without proper consultation, on 1st July, 2014, NLC administration has raised the rent amount of these shops by four times. I urge the Union Government to engage in talks to reduce the rent amount of shops in NLC township.
In Cuddalore SIPCOT area, and along the coastal area of my constituency many industries are coming up. There should be regular inspection of all these industries as they post an environmental hazard to the surroundings. I urge that pollution aspect should be checked and controlled by regular monitoring of these industries and their effluents.
Work relating to construction of four-lane between Vikravandi and Kumbakonam should be expedited.
On behalf of AIADMK Party, I welcome and appreciate the hon. Finance Minister for his foresighted and well thought out initiatives.
I once again thank hon. Chief Minster of Tamil Nadu Puratchi Thalaivi for allowing me to speak on the discussion on General Budget.
HON. CHAIRPERSON : Dr. Udit Raj, you may start your speech tomorrow.