Telgu Desam terms it 'election budget'

Vijayawada: TD has termed the Union Budget introduced by in-charge finance minister, Mr Piyush Goyal on Friday, as “election budget”. Terming the raising of the Income Tax cap to Rs 5 lakh as the only saviour, state finance minister Mr Yanamala Ramakrishnudu found fault with the Union Government for ignoring the interests of Andhra Pradesh like Special Category Status. He said though Andhra Pradesh will get what other states get statutorily, Union Government had not allocated any special funds to the State. He added that as per Niti Aayog there should be at least 9 per cent growth rate but in reality the growth rate was only 7 per cent. He pointed out that the unemployment growth rate was still very high and the budget did not provide anything to control it.

AP Congress Committee president Mr N. Raghuveera Reddy lamented that BJP led Union Government budget had disappointed the public of the country, specifically AP. He felt there was no use with the three-phase aid to farmers as it would not help the agriculture sector which was in severe crisis. He further stated that increase of income tax limit was expected to be '8 lakh by the public but BJP Government had dashed the hopes by limiting it to '5 lakh and commented that BJP had proposed the budget in view of the impending elections.

Guntur MP of TD Mr Galla Jayadev termed the Union Interim Budget as “band-aid” budget. “It is a shame that in the guise of Budget 2019, the Centre is trying to cover up its failures over the past 5 years. Not having been able to fulfil the promises made in 2014, they have come out with a new Jumla (false) called Vision 2030.”

CPI state secretary Mr K. Ramakrishna ridiculed the Budget and said BJP led Union Government’s proposed budget was not “vote on account” but it was “account for votes” budget to attract the public towards BJP in the forthcoming elections. Expressing dissatisfaction over the Budget he lamented that the Budget was of no use to AP State and public as the BJP Government had totally bypassed the fulfilment of bifurcation assurances in this Budget.

CPM state executive member Mr Babu Rao termed the budget as “election budget” and said it looked like the pre-election manifesto of the BJP. He commented that BJP Government had announced sops in the Budget but they were nothing but an “eyewash”. to the public and alleged that BJP was trying to deceive the public with an election Budget.