NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, FEB 1
Even as the industry welcomed the Union Budget 2021-22 presented on Monday, the opposition Congress in Gujarat criticised the annual financial statement, saying it will create more economic imbalance and increase inflation.
According to Congress, the budget came as a “huge disappointment” for the common man hit by inflation, loss of work and unemployment.
“The Union Budget is full of huge figures about various schemes but it fails to provide any roadmap to ensure proper implementation of these schemes.
“While the BJP government boasts about building an ”Aatmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India), it is planning to sell off the nation’s assets.
“While Railway is being privatised, profit-making PSUs are up for sale,” said Gujarat Congress chief spokesperson Manish Doshi.
He said proposals in the budget for the fiscal year beginning April 1 completely ignore the middle class.
“This budget offers nothing for the middle class. The budget lacks concrete solutions to tackle recession and rising unemployment.
“This budget came as a huge disappointment for the common man. It will only create more economic imbalance and increase inflation,” Doshi added.
However, the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) welcomed the budget, claiming it is favourable for various industries in the state, including the ship-breaking segment located at Alang in Bhavnagar district.
“Among other things, the Union Budget proposed policies on automobile scrapping and ship-breaking. Since Alang has complied with the Hong Kong convention, local ship- breakers would now get more ships from Japan and Europe (for dismantling).
“Overall, this budget will prove beneficial for Gujarat industries,” said GCCI President Natu Patel.
He said a unit to turn old automobiles into scrap under the new policy would come up in Gujarat.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Gujarat unit, welcomed the budget, saying it will boost economic growth.
According to CII’s Gujarat chapter vice-chairman Vinod Agrawal, the Centre has accepted almost 70 per cent to 80 per cent of the demands put forward by the apex industry body ahead of the budget.
“As recommended by the CII, the Centre has now announced (in the budget) to monetise surplus government land. This will not only give revenue to the government, but also make more land available for the industry,” he said.
The budget proposed more government spending, which will prove crucial for the economy in the longer run. Additional budget allocation for the health sector is also a good step,” said Agrawal.
