July 16, 2014
Sudip Bandyopadhyay speaks on Union Budget 2014 | Transcript
Hon’ble Chairman Sir, I have two budgets in my hands: one in my left hand is the budget estimate placed by Mr Chidambaram and another one in my right hand is the budget at a glance of this year and this is by Mr Jaitley this year. The size of the budget speeches, the colour of the budget speeches is same and if I exchange them from one hand to the other, nobody could guess which is of Arun Jaitley and which is of Mr P Chidambaram. And even the contents also are same. I will try to show both have very many similarities; as it appears both are the two sides of the same coin.
Sir, I will take up Budget at a Glance of Mr Arun Jaitley ji… in this it is very categorically mentioned that revenue receipt in this budget is Rs 11,89,763 crore and capital receipt is Rs 6,50,129 crore. That is Rs 17,94,892 crores total. Now this is to be divided into plan outlay and non plan outlay. So, what is the plan outlay? It is Rs 5,75,000 crore… this includes new projects, new plans, new innovative ideas to be implemented in reality. And what is non plan? It is the amount we need to meet our day to day expenditure of the setup, of the establishment how the departments will run and function. So,that part it is non plan Rs 12,19,892 crore. So revenue receipt and expenditure is now at par and total cash receipt of the government is 13,64,524 crore.
The fiscal deficit is becoming 4.1% of GDP. I want to know from hon. Finance Minister that whether to achieve this 4.1% GDP is challenging task to you are not? And in what way you are going to implement it when revenue deficit also will be 2.9% of the GDP.
Sir what appeared to me that even after independence eastern region – Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Tripura, Assam – are the sufferers of the regional imbalances after independence. Jharkhand is also now included. And according to our assessment, West Bengal is the worst sufferer of the regional imbalances after independence. We should urge upon you to consider a few of our demands, which we will place upon you while I am taking part in the debate.
Firstly, you know that in Bengal a government ruled for 34 long years, a communist rule was there and they left behind a massive burden of over Rs 2 lakh crore throwing West Bengal into a debt trap. It is also known that the finance commission had indicated that states Kerala, Punjab and West Bengal were severely debt stressed and in urgent need of rescuing from fiscal distress. For Kerala and Punjab debt to GSDP rate stood at 27.86% and 29.91% whereas the corresponding figure of Bengal was at staggering 38%. Sir, the budget was an occasion when the States of the India and the nation expected that the central government will address debt stressed states of India – at least for West Bengal, Kerala and Punjab. In Bengal over 9 crore of people are looking forward to a waiver of the outstanding debt. Sir we made this appeal when UPA government was also there, they didn’t bother nor give any importance. We met during that time with hon. the then Prime Minister, with the Finance Minister but got no response. Our appeal to you is that make this debt waived – this is a very positive demand that we are making today.
You have made some proposals, Sir, of Rs 100 crore proposals for 28 schemes. Beti padhao beti bachao for 100 crores, madrasha upliftment for 100 crore, tribal welfare for 100 crore. Mr Thambidurai has given you some suggestions, some ideas to follow which Jayalalitha ji has implemented. In West Bengal there is a Kanyashree Prokolpo launched by the state government and our Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee allotted Rs 1000 crore for this project. This project has been appreciated by all the people of Bengal, including all political parties. Nobody dared to criticize the Kanyashree Prokolpo where the girl students were actually benefitted. We request you Sir to consult the Chief Minister of Bengal and take some idea from that Kanyashree Prokolpo which can be implemented in the Centre also.
Sir Rs 200 crore has been allotted for Sardar Ballavbhai Patelji we have no objection but why not another statue can be built of Swami Vivekananda? Every year on 12th of January we observe in India the National Youth Day. Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modiji also visited Belur Math, Ramkrishna Mission which was created by Swami Vivekananda. He went to take blessings from Swami Atwasthanandaji Maharaj the present President of Belur Math. In election campaign also the BJP Party took the help and shelter of Swami Vivekananda – from statues to pictures. Even according to a press statement made by Modiji, he was advised by the Belur Math President to keep his beard uncut. So, I would request you to take the proposal and one statute of Swami Vivekananda may also be installed in the city of Kolkata.
Next, Sir, I would raise the FDI issue. .Arun ji, BJP was known as a party of national feelings, national ethos, national sentiments and I don’t know how BJP party transferred into a party of FDI. Whether it is a total change of philosophy of BJP, I am interested in to know. FDI has been increased to 49% in our defense sector. We are afraid if foreign groups enter into our defense sector and go through it whether our country will be benefited from it. Similarly you have introduced FDI in insurance sector. We oppose this. We request you to withdraw this 49% FDI, even Mr Thambidurai was making such a request.
When we were minister of the centre, I was also a minister, we resigned. One of the reasons for the resignation was the introduction of FDI into the retail market. We came out from UPA. You people were extending the full support to the traders and said FDI should not be allowed to invade our retail market. So what is your stand now? If it is installed, is allowed in insurance sector, defense sector, are you welcoming the decision of FDI in retail sector also? You have to make it clear in the floor of the house… whether you are in favour of the FDI in retail sector in our country or not…
Next, black money. I would rather say than India has a parallel economy of black money. It was most inspiring when this government came to power and announced that they would take all positive measures to bring back black money which are lying abroad. But in this budget speech very surprisingly nothing was mentioned about this, why this silence? This black money issue… whole country is keen to know… we would expect that the government will announce its ideas and policies… what is their thinking and ideas about black money…
You have announced one programme Namami Ganga… you have said reforms, renovation and beautification. You have taken Kedarnath, Hardwar, Kanpur Allahabad and Delhi and I will like you to add Kolkata also, maybe West Bengal… kahawat hai, sab tirtha bar bar, gangasagar ekbar…. Kaviguru Rabindranath Tagore was cremated at the banks of the river Ganges in Kolkata. Swami Vivekananda was cremated at the banks of the river Ganga. Ramakrishna Paramhansa Deb was cremated by the side of the river Ganges in Kolkata. Iam elected from that constituency in Kolkata as MP. So, Calcutta must be added for this development, beautification renovation of the Ganga, for which I would make a request before you.
Why the Government is silent about jute industry? A tussle is going on between jute and plastic industries. In jute industry there is an involvement of more than two crores of people. Similarly tea is an industry. Finance Minister, I think I want your attention more actively. I am just making a request. I know, tea is another subject where ministry of commerce government looks after it. Darjeeling tea is known as the world famous tea and still the best tea in the world but the export of the Darjeeling tea is gradually diminishing. We are not in No.1 position in tea and other countries are invading us. So tea sector needs to be given all out protection. Regarding royalty for jute we have categorically said give our share be given more, and don’t run only behind plastic industry… we are asking for the revenue share of royalty of coal also.
You are going to setup 8 textile mega clusters. We want you to make one mega cluster in our state of West Bengal because West Bengal is a hub of a textile sector which has several products. So we feel that it is a tragedy and cruel joke on the people of West Bengal and we hope our weavers attain new textile clusters which have been announced in the budget. Along with that I urge upon you with other request that how did you allot Rs 35 crore rural youth of India? It comes to only Rs 2 per youth. What would be a bigger mockery than this.
If I go for a Budget comparison between 2013-14 and 2014-15 it will be:
Education 79451 crore in 2013-14 and now 83 thousand crore.
Health and family welfare budget allocation was Rs 83000 crores – these are all poor people’s departments – it is now Rs 34000 crore only,
Rural development – it was Rs 74000 crore and now it is Rs 78000 crore.
Women and child development – it was Rs 20000 crore and now it is Rs 21000 crore.
Agriculture cooperation was Rs 19000 crore and it is now Rs 22000 crore.
Drinking water and sanitation was Rs 15000 crore and now it is same. Rs 15 thousand.
Environment was Rs 2000 crore and this year also it is Rs 2000 crore
So, I find that compared to the last two years, the allocations are the same.
Price rise and unemployment are at sky-high. How can we manage it? I will give you a proposal. During our younger days, we launched a movement on the street that essential commodities be distributed through PDA system.
I am telling proposing the following essential commodities be supplied through PDA system. In your economic survey you have mentioned that at page no. 138 that record production of food grains and oil seeds has taken place this year. I propose the following essential commodities be supplied through PDA system:
1. Rice 2. Wheat 3. Pulses 4. Sugar 5. Kerosene oil 6. Maize 7. Bajra 8. Groundnut 9. Rapeseed and mustard seed 10. Cotton 11. Tea 12. Salt, and last, Milk
In our country the PDS and postal system carry out their responsibilities with huge efficiency. If we can utilize this PDS properly, that can be the most vibrant step which will be acceptable and common people will really benefit from it. I want a positive response from your end because I think this idea is a positive suggestion from the Opposition. Not only are we criticizing your Budget but we are giving some ideas also. Let this Budget have some pro-people ideas. Also set a precedent that you accept some suggestions beneficial for the hungry people.
In our country, there are still many instances of people fighting with hunger. They are not finding any ways to get benefitted. I request you to increase the wages for 100 days jobs scheme. Increase the number of days to 200. This will send a positive message to those unemployed. They will be benefitted. This is also a positive request.
We want to assure the Government whenever a pro-people decision will be taken, Trinamool Congress will extend a hand of support to the Government. Those decisions which will provide shelter and protection to the poor people, we will give protection to the Government. Our leader Mamata Banerjee has shown how pro-people policies can be taken. Mr Thambidurai is here… there Government in Tamil Nadu has also taken pro-people steps. That is why they have 37 seats and in Bengal out of 42 we have 34.
Whenever any anti-people decision is taken, we do not even think twice before coming out of ministries. It is only Trinamool Congress whose six ministers resigned from the previous Government for increasing the prices of domestic gas, lifting of subsidies from fertilizers and introduction of FDI.
There is a new Government after 10 long years. It is not that the Government must always be criticized. Wherever you will go for a better step, we will standby you. But we will not support any Government which will be of the FDI, by the FDI and for the FDI. I hope the matters about Bengal that I raised will be considered. The UPA Government did not take any step, I hope this Government will take some positive step and will announce the debt waiver for West Bengal Government where we have been kept debt-trapped due 34 years of misrule of the Left Front regime.
Thank you.
