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Budget fails to address economic challenges: CPI

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Press Trust of India New Delhi

Describing the Union Budget as "insufficient" and "inconsequential", the CPI today said it failed to address the economic challenges facing the country.     

"The allocations listed in the Budget by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for various heads like infrastructure, power, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and agriculture are too less," senior CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said.     

"This Budget is inconsequential and insufficient. It fails to address the economic challenges facing the nation," he added.     

He was severely critical of political donations being made tax-free. "This move will benefit parties like Congress and BJP. The corporate sector is not interested in Left parties so we do not rely on such donations. However, other parties will reap benefits through this move," Dasgupta said.     

 

The CPI leader said while "the Budget has made allocation to the tune of Rs 500 crore for Mumbai floods that happened a long time back, it has only sanctioned Rs 1,000 crore for 'Aila' cyclone victims.     

"The extent of the cyclone that affected vast parts of West Bengal was too huge to be covered by such a small amount. A city's calamity cannot be compared to the calamity faced by an entire state," he said.

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First Published: Jul 06 2009 | 2:48 PM IST

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