16-31 Mar, 2010 - Bharatiya Janata Party

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BJP on BudgetAam aadmi dumped by aam aadmi ’s govtBy Yashwant SinhaAgovernment that returns topower in the name of theaam aadmi cannotsuddenly become their enemy. Thisis exactly what the UPA governmenthas done through this budget.It spent recklessly in the lasttwo years to improve electoralprospects. It was like injecting sweetpoison in the body economic, whichthe economist-prime minister knewwould be fatal. Political compulsionsforced him to go along. The globalfinancial crisis came in handy todisguise this election-orientedexpenditure as a stimulus packagefor the economy. Exiting from thatsituation was bound to be painfulfor the government and the people.Companies are celebratingreduction in corporate taxsurcharge; economists are hailingthe cut in fiscal deficit; the market ischeering the roadmap on goods andservices tax and the direct tax code;business groupings are as usualtoeing the government line, but it isthe aam aadmi who has nothing tocelebrate.The increase in excise duty by2 percentage points and the increasein petrol and diesel prices is a doubleblow to the common man alreadybattling a 20-per cent food priceinflation. He was looking for relief,he has got the stick. The financeminister’s claim that the “budgetbelongs to the aam aadmi” is likerubbing salt on his wound.A revenue mobilisationthrough a hike in excise, customsand service tax of Rs 50,000 crore inone year is unprecedented. Sincewe still have the system of tax overtax, that along with the diesel pricehike will have a huge cascadingeffect and the burden ofthis tax mobilisation onthe aam aadmi is goingto be many times morethan Rs 50,000 crore.As for price rise,this will be like fat to fire.It is bound to have adampening effect ondomestic demand, whichhas been the drivingforce of the economy.The secret of India’s growth storyhas been the availability of cheapermoney and a huge domestic market.Inflation, to which this budget willadd, threatens both.I have for long felt that insteadof spreading its limited resourcestoo thinly, the government shouldconcentrate on a few priority areaslike agriculture, rural development,health, education and infrastructure.In each of these, there should be a100 per cent centrally-fundedscheme. If only 16 paise is reachingthe people out of the 100 that thegovernment spends, imagine therevolution it will bringabout if all 100 isdelivered.Improving thedelivery system, theminister said, is a toppriority, but he’s donenothing in this respect.He doesn’t evenindicate a roadmap forgovernance reforms.Every financeminister fudges figures in thebudget. I was a little surprised,therefore, to see that at variousplaces this fudging has gonebeyond acceptable limits. Forexample, the gross tax revenue isslated to increase next year by Rs1,14,000 crore. Given that theincrease was only Rs 33,000 crorethis year, there is nothing to suggestthe projection is in the realms ofpossibility. The Budget was eagerlyawaited, it has been hugelydisappointing. •(The writer is a former financeminister and BJP Lok Sabha MP)Lesser Central fund upset the BJPgovernment’s development plansThe 13th Finance Commission report has brought disappointmentfor Himachal Pradesh. The report has recommended lowest-everdevolution of Central funds. The increase is just 50 per cent as comparedto 126 per cent at all India level. This is likely to upset the BJPgovernment’s development plans, making it difficult to even meet itsexpenses in terms of monthly salaries. Another blow to the state is theCentre’s refusal to extend industrial package. There are apprehensionsthat more than Rs 40,000 crore investment projects in the pipeline maynot materialize. The decade-long package, as proposed by the NDAgovernment in 2003, was to end in 2013. The package was cut-shortfirst up to 2007, but later raised to 2010. There will be no special taxholidays for any new investment. “Himachal is paying the price forbeing a gentle state,” said Chief Minister Shri Prem Kumar Dhumal. •March 16-31, 2010 22
Anti Price rise agitationHimachal PradeshPrices promoting greaterpoverty in country : ShantaFrom Our CorrespondentFormer Himachal Chief Minister and BJP NationalVice-President Shri Shanta Kumar, Rajya SabhaMP while addressing a rally of BJP workers from allover Himachal at the state-level rally against price rise inShimla. He charged the UPA regime with failure to takeeffective steps to check price rise despite the fact thatthey had made this solemn promise during last year'selections to Lok Sabha."Either the UPA regime must check price rise or elsethey have no right to continue in power as people hadvirtually been pushed to the brink of starvation," heremarked.Addressing the rally, state BJP President Shri KhimiRam said despite price rise, the BJP regime in Himachalhad tried to give relief to every section of society so thatpeople would not reel under the impact of price rise.Later, all senior leaders, including Shri Shanta Kumar,Shri Satyapal Jain, Shri Khimi Ram, MPs Shri VirenderKashyap and Shri Anurag Thakur and senior partyfunctionaries marched to the Governor House in aprocession to hand over a memorandum addressed to thePresident of India to the Governor at Raj Bhawan. •U.P. BJP rally against price riseSeveral BJP workers were injured in a clash with the police when a dharnaand demonstration organised by the party in Lucknow on February 25 inprotest against “price rise and corruption” turned violent. Former BJPPresident Shri Rajnath Singh sustained minor injuries. Senior BJP leaders,including Dr. Singh, former Union Minister Shri Murli Manohar Joshi, PartyVice-President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and State BJP President RamapatiRam Tripathi were arrested along with hundreds of party workers. They werelater released. The rally was held at Jhule Lal Park on the banks of the Gomti.After the meeting, the party men were to march to the Vidhan Sabha, butthey were blocked by heavy barricades put up by a strong posse of policemenon Hanuman Setu. The police used water cannons and tear-gas to thwarttheir march. About three to four rubber bullets were fired by the policemen,who also baton-charged the party workers in a bid to disperse them. Thepolice flung stones at the party workers. The dharna was called off followingthe arrests and subsequent release. Addressing the rally, Shri Rajnath Singhhas charged the UPA Government at the Centre with misleading the peopleby making hollow claims and said it had failed to curb price rise. In contrast,he said, the NDA Government had successfully contained the prices. •Uttar PradeshBandh successfulagainst price riseFrom Our CorrespondentDespite police harassments in a few districtsin Uttar Pradesh BJP call for UP bandh on2 nd March against price rise received atremendous response from the people.State BJP president Shri Ramapati Ram Tripathisaid that the recent hike in prices of petrol anddiesel would fuel inflation. The move would resultin higher prices of essential commodities, he said.“The tremendous response of the people is anindication that the common man is fed up with theCongress-led UPA Government at the Centre andthe BSP regime in the State,” he added. Shri Tripathisaid the police manhandled party workers in Gonda,Sultanpur, Rampur, Basti, Ballia and Moradabad.“At a few places, workers were arrestedunnecessarily,” he said.Shri Tripathi claimed that the bandh was totalin Gorakhpur, Agra, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Kanpur,Jhansi, Etawah and several other districts.He congratulated party workers for holdingtheir ground despite the coercive measures adoptedby the police and the administration.•March 16-31, 2010 23
Page 2 and 3: to the service of the people. He th
Page 4 and 5: Kindling a movementBy Arun JaitleyN
Page 6 and 7: and particularly of Indira Gandhihe
Page 8 and 9: LOK SABHADiscussion on the Motion o
Page 10 and 11: UPA failed comprehensivelyon all fr
Page 12 and 13: Generalise advisories are taken cas
Page 14 and 15: Discussion on Price RiseLOK SABHALe
Page 16 and 17: is also procured by the Government
Page 18 and 19: In a cabinet system, there is an el
Page 22 and 23: A post-budget discussion by CA Cell
Page 24 and 25: Budget : States VoicesUnion Budget
Page 26 and 27: State ReportsFrom Our Correspondent
Page 28: ProformaNation-wide signature campa

16-31 Mar, 2010 - Bharatiya Janata Party

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