Shimla: Congress, the main opposition party has termed BJP government 3rd budget of the term as anti-inclusive, anti farmer and anti people wherein addition tax burden has been imposed on a people living under runaway food prices.
Reacting to budget proposals that chief minister Dhumal put out in the house, Vidya Stokes, leader of the opposition said since the BJP government has come to power bus fares alone had been increased by as much as 49 percent. Other than that increasing VAT would only increase prices of many commodities, and only add to the burden of the common man, she said.
“This budget would only add to inflation,†she said adding, “the state government is even hesitant to acknowledge the contribution that central grants make for supporting this expenditure and development plans.â€
An housewife Indu Mehta reacted saying, “there were many other items besides edible oil and food grains that are used in a household. Increasing taxes on them would only make them that much more expensive.â€
Communist Party of India Marxist has termed the budget as anti peasant, anti employment and inherently disappointing. Tikender Panwar, CPI(M) spokesman said that though the economic survey released out on Thursday points out the huge gap between the number of farmers in the state and their declining share in the GDP, the budget proposes nothing to enhance this share.
Increasing VAT would only aggravate the price rise that people are facing. The party has announced plans of holding demonstration on 20th March over the anti-people budget proposals announced, the spokesman said.
However, a trader Sandeep Sud welcomed the move to impose goods entry tax. This measure would encourage companies operating here to source their material requirements from within However, a trader Sandeep Sud welcomed the move to impose goods entry tax. This measure would encourage companies operating here to source their material requirements from within the state, which would not only accrue revenues for the government but would increase sale volumes for resident businesses, he said.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
