Budget Not For Poor, Farmer Sector Needs More Attention: Opposition In Rajya Sabha

During the second day of the discussion on the Union Budget, CPI leader Binoy Viswam alleged that the Budget was a "failure" and only intended to benefit "big corporate houses such as Tata, Birla, Ambani and Adani".

Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday accused the government of leaving out the majority of the poor in its Budget 2022-23 and not doing enough for the farm sector that employs a large number of people in the country.

During the second day of the discussion on the Union Budget, CPI leader Binoy Viswam alleged that the Budget was a "failure" and only intended to benefit "big corporate houses such as Tata, Birla, Ambani and Adani". "This Budget is not for the poor but the rich at the top," he said, adding there has been no attempt to provide succour to women, farmers and health sector as allocations have been slashed and subsidies reduced.

TRS leader KR Suresh Reddy lamented the "cut" in food subsidies and the "meagre" sum allocated for research in agriculture.

"With the heavy heart, I must tell the finance minister that a 90 minutes (budget) speech has left 90 crore Indians out of a Budget. This so called progressive budget has alienated the majority of the poor people," he said. Mr Reddy said, "The year 2022 was the year to double the farmers' income...You reduced Rs 10,000 crore for procurement (of agriculture produce).