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Journalism of Courage
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Lok Sabha MP from Cuttack, Bhartruhari Mahtab, on Wednesday said that the Interim Budget presented ahead of the general elections wears the stamp of a government that seems confident of getting another term and is looking at the long-term picture.
In the Budget, he said, the government has given priority to fiscal consolidation and capital expenditure. “Even populism has taken a back seat. In the election year, this Budget is a welcome return to transparency and convention,” Mahtab said.
Making a comparison with former UPA rule, Mahtab said, “There are no grand giveaways as waving Rs 62,000 crore loans that happened in 2009. No conspicuous welfarism, no populist posturing through tax tweaks, this reveals the confidence with which the government views its prospects in the coming elections.”
He, however, flagged the disparity in development of rural and urban areas. “Economic disparity demands our attention and contemplation. For millions of people in rural India, the economic slowdown has become an oppressive reality contrary to the nation’s overall economic triumph… The narrative of rural India’s struggle contrasts with the urban success story,” he said.
Mahatab also said that states that are poorer should get a larger share from the divisible pool which the Finance Commission is determining.
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