NDA’s National Budget Pushes for Foreign Investment, Privatisation and Offers Nothing for Aam Aadmi - Aurat
New Delhi, July 10 : The very first budget of the NDA Govt. is certainly brought nothing very special to the voters. As against promise of strong government and good governance Narendra Modi and his colleagues are just continuing economic reforms agenda of UPA government. No doubt budget is an exercise of allocating financial resources not just for one year, but with both short and long term, but certainly speaks out the direction and New govt. It is clearly pushing the agenda of PPP and privatisation, including the dangerous provisions of FDI in Defence and Insurance sectors. There is no concern of the natural resources of the country – land, water, forests nor any mention about the impacts of huge projects; nor is there any consideration for needs of aam aadmi and aurat.
Govt. and Modi seem to be in an unprecedented haste to transfer resources from common people to the investors to bring in money capital but take away sources of livelihood. Who will be the real beneficiaries and to what magnitude is not disclosed as yet, although the signs of the same have been revealed. This is certainly not what was promised.
Provision of money without any realistic assessments or mandatory clearances for the riverlinking and Sardar Sarovar statue doesn't show either prudence or seriousness to development planning. Unless the projects are allowed to go through a scanner the test would be as to whether these projects would lead to income generation opportunity and how much ?
The skewed priorities of the government are visible from the fact that they allot 200 Cr for Sardar Sarovar statue and 100 Crore for girl child education and 50 Crore for women safety in public transport. Its political gimmick and nothing much.
The budget clearly indicates that those who would invest money will benefit and that extent the government is surely to take forward Manohan Singh’s agenda, but with much more of political and economic expediency. They have continued the practice of revenue forgone and in this Budget total revenue (direct and indirect taxes) foregone fromcentral taxes is Rs. 5,72,923.3 Crore for 2013-14, which is whopping36% of total expenditure of Government and can actually fund 20 NREGA programmes.
The emphasis on industrial corridors, SEZs, higways, waterways, high speed trains will all need large scale land acquisitions, which will severely impact the food security. On the otherhand, Budget is short on addressing the agrarian crisis and livelihood insecurity for the farmers, its pro agri business and will offer no respite.
We can't expect anything better from this government but continuation of the same old neo-liberal economic policies, price rise and high inflation.
OUR RESPONSE ON RAIL BUDGET BELOW
Will the Bullet Budget hit the common commuters?
FDI with Disinvestment in the name of Development cannot be Beneficial, Hence Unacceptable
Commerce is the priority, not Commuters!
New Delhi, July 10 : NDA Government’s 'Bullet Budget' will not only avoid stoppages en route but it also indicates no halts to take in the common people - Aam Aadmi & Aurat- across the country. Not just the language but priorities to privatization as a goal clearly suggests that the Modi model is going to knock off the social, environmental as well as antyodya criteria with courage, confidence but also callousness towards the large majority of people, not only the downtrodden but even middle class… Not inclusive but exclusive approach towards the toiling masses of this country will be furthered by shocking inclusiveness towards the private investors, not just Indian but also foreign.
Both opening up of Railways - the profit making public sector through disinvestment on one hand, and warning us about the need to raise fares, if not today, (though they did raise the fares a few days before budget, with contempt for the people and parliament) but tomorrow, when the organized strength in the Railways will not be there to question these decisions. What would this mean, no one knows but can be imagined. Disinvestment from the sector and investment from the private corporates in a big way is in the offing. It won't be limited to infrastructure alone then, although it’s reported that Home Ministry has warned the government against going beyond!
When Sadanand Gowda to Narendra Modi has already set priorities by ‘bullet targets’ for bullet train, to be met with foreign (in this, Japanese) investment, the real cost is going to be paid by the people of this country. The elitist priority may shine today but it can be furthered only with a compromise against employment generation, other common facilities, more trains, more space for lower classes, cheaper transport to the needy & disadvantaged etc. Railway being one of the public sector corporation which we are proud of, Gowda has to take in consideration landmarks of social justice in dealing with this. A mere promise of social viability to be ensured along with commercial viability without any signs of the real balance can’t suffice nor can it satisfy those who can read between lines.
What will happen to land oustees, when “foreign investors can acquire land themselves & government will only fix the rates” as declared by the Chairman, Railway Board, one has to ask? Mamta Banerjee’s budget was so much categorical on such issues, promising job to the oustees & no forcible acquisition. Gowda is quiet on this, as also on environmental aspects. One, however, knows that bullet train, dedicated freight corridors have to go with large scale Industrial corridors such as DMIC targeting as large channels of agricultural land as 3,40,000 hectares in the first go! The budget presentation will not bring this out but we can’t wait till the bullet hits us all!
Cleanliness on the stations, good food through branded companies, high tech services etc are no doubt attractions for varied sections, especially the aspirants of American Western paradigm in every sector of Indian economy and governance. How will this be achieved has to be our concern; here and now. We, the people have to keep an eye on every action and decision that would tell us very soon whether there is heavy retrenchment of present workers to bring in huge inflow of contractors and contract laborers, beyond what is at present. We have to wait to see whether the decade old caterers who have served commuters without a ‘brand’ get a blow due to railways favoring brand and grand corporates, more than McDonalds, Comesum & Food Plazas.
Appointment of 4000 women in Railway Police Force, cleanliness as focus and no new large projects announcement, can be welcomed provided all this also do not prove to be moves towards disinvestment by the state and entry of the private players. No doubt there is a need to curtail bad politics in Railway, as for that matter, every public sector yet this very first budget brings out reactions from labor unions to commuter organizations, and points to a danger that democratic rights of workers will be trampled in name of governance and efficiency.
Medha Patkar - Narmada Bachao Andolan and the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM); Prafulla Samantara - Lok Shakti Abhiyan, NAPM, Odisha; Dr. Sunilam, Aradhna Bhargava - Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, NAPM, MP; Gautam Bandopadhyay – Nadi Ghati Morcha, NAPM, Chhattisgarh; Suniti SR, Suhas Kolhekar, Prasad Bagwe - NAPM, Maharashtra; Gabriel Dietrich, Geetha Ramakrishnan – Unorganised Sector Workers Federation, NAPM, TN; C R Neelakandan – NAPM Kerala; Saraswati Kavula, P Chennaiah – NAPM Andhra Pradesh, B S Rawat – Jan Sangharsh Vahini, Rajendra Ravi, Sunita Rani– NAPM, Delhi; Arundhati Dhuru, Richa Singh - NAPM, UP; Sister Celia - Domestic Workers Union, NAPM, Karnataka; Sumit Wanjale – Ghar Bachao, Ghar Banao Andolan, NAPM, Mumbai; Manish Gupta - Jan Kalyan Upbhokta Samiti, NAPM, UP; Vimal Bhai - Matu Jan sangathan, NAPM, Uttarakhand; Vilas Bhongade - Gosikhurd Prakalpgrast Sangharsh Samiti, NAPM, Maharashtra; Ramashray Singh - Ghatwar Adivasi Mahasabha, Jharkhand; Anand Mazhgaonkar, Krishnakant - Paryavaran Suraksh Samiti, NAPM Gujarat; Kamayani Swami, Ashish Ranjan – Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan, NAPM Bihar; Mahendra Yadav – Kosi Navnirman Manch, NAPM Bihar
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