Budget 2019: Arun Jaitley Tells Opposition 'Not to Shed Crocodile Tears' on Farmers, Defends Election Tag on Budget
Jaitley said that budgets, like elections, are an essential part of any parliamentary democracy and told the Opposition to not shed crocodile tears for the farmers.
New Delhi, February 1: Union Minister Arun Jaitley, in an interview to ANI from New York, answered the Opposition and critics who have been raising a question on the interim budget presented by Piyush Goyal as being an "election-budget" just before the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. Jaitley said that budgets, like elections, are an essential part of any parliamentary democracy and told the Opposition to not shed "crocodile tears" for the farmers. Budget 2019: Union Minister Piyush Goyal Begins Budget Speech Wishing Speedy Recovery of Arun Jaitley.
Speaking to ANI, Jaitley said that in 2014, "Mr Chidambaram on a number of products, including engineering products and automobiles, gave a duty rebate. The same argument can be taken now. Budgets are an essential part of any parliamentary democracy so are elections." Budget 2019: PM Narendra Modi Congratulates Piyush Goyal, Says 'Everyone Taken Care of in Interim Budget'.
Jaitley said that "both centre and states must cooperate. This is a huge amount that we are doing. We are now as against the one time loan waiver of Rs 52,000 crores . This is Rs 75,000 crores in the first year itself. I'm sure it will expand in future years." Rahul Gandhi: ‘Budget 2019 a Cruel Joke on Farmers…Voters Will Launch Surgical Strikes on Modi Govt’.
On the issue of Opposition's criticism of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, which makes provision of providing Rs 6000 a year for farmers having upto 2 hectares of land, Jaitley told the Opposition not to "shed crocodile tears today for farmers. If opposition also has several govts let them announce similar schemes. I'm sure other govts will also consider this." Budget 2019 Full Speech: Read Complete Text of Piyush Goyal’s Interim Budget Speech in Parliament.
He continued, "Now look at what we've been doing. Rural roads - 91% completed, rural housing - 2022 everyone will have a roof, 98.7% people in rural areas now have sanitation, every willing home is having electricity, every man has switched over the cooking methods." Notional Rent Explained: In Budget 2019-20, Piyush Goyal Announces Tax Exemption On Deemed Rent On Second Self-Occupied Property.
"What did the UPA do in their 10 years in power? A one time loan waiver of 70,000 crores. Only 52,000 crores were waived off and CAG report was that out of that Rs 52000 crore a significant part of money went to traders and businessmen and not to farmers." . Budget 2019: Piyush Goyal Rejigs Tax Slab, Rolls-Out Income Support Scheme For Farmers, Here’s How Politicians React.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking after the interim Union Budget 2019, said that the budget kept the aspirations of every section in mind and has paid special attention to the needs of the farmers. The Prime Minister said that the government has been taking one strong step after another for the farmers.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 01, 2019 10:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).