Calling the Interim Budget a 'pre-poll declaration' by the Congress, Left parties said on Monday the government had not taken any step to check the impact of the global recession on the Indian economy by increasing public expenditure.
While Communist Party of India-Marxist Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said the Interim Budget was nothing but a 'perorative' (lengthy and pompous) document and government had in fact lowered the expenditure on major social structure schemes, CPI leaders Gurudas Dasgupta and D Raja called it a 'lollipop' budget meant for the coming elections.
Comparing the 2008-09 budget allocations with this year's figures, Yechury said the funds earmarked for rural employment guarantee scheme declined by Rs 6,650 crore (Rs 66.5 billion), food subsidy by Rs 1,328 crore (Rs 13.28 billion), rural development by Rs 5,176 crore (Rs 51.76 billion) and Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission by Rs 1,735 crore (Rs 17.35 billion).
Instead of increasing public expenditure in these and infrastructural sectors, the government has in fact slashed spending on them, which would not only lead to lower purchasing power of the commoners but further increase job losses, he said.
Raja said the Budget 'painted a rosy picture of the Indian economy and government's performance which was not at all true in terms of ground realities and non-fulfilment of promises made by the United Progressive Alliance in the Common Minimum Programme.'