P Chidambaram Criticizes Union Budget and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
New Delhi, July 23: Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram criticized the Union Budget, accusing Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of adopting ideas from Congress’s 2024 manifesto. Speaking at a press conference with Congress leader Supriya Shrinate, Chidambaram expressed his concerns.
Adoption of Congress Ideas
Chidambaram claimed that Sitharaman adopted ideas from the Congress manifesto, including the employment-linked incentive scheme, apprenticeship scheme, and abolition of the angel tax. He wished more ideas had been adopted.
Unemployment and Inflation
Chidambaram criticized the government’s response to unemployment, calling it insufficient. He also highlighted inflation as a major challenge, with WPI at 3.4%, CPI at 5.1%, and food inflation at 9.4%.
Education and Healthcare
Chidambaram urged the government to address poor education quality and the lack of proper education for nearly half of the children. He also criticized the public healthcare system, noting a shortage of medical professionals and equipment, and insufficient government expenditure.
Tax Relief
Chidambaram lamented the lack of tax relief for the poorest sections, especially non-tax paying wage laborers, and criticized the government for ignoring wage stagnation and inflation.
Doubts Revealed
P Chidambaram -: P Chidambaram is a senior politician in India who has served as the Finance Minister in the past. He is a member of the Indian National Congress party.
Union Budget -: The Union Budget is a financial plan presented by the government of India every year. It outlines the government’s revenue and expenditure for the upcoming year.
Finance Minister -: The Finance Minister is a government official responsible for managing the country’s finances, including the budget, taxes, and public spending. Nirmala Sitharaman is the current Finance Minister of India.
Nirmala Sitharaman -: Nirmala Sitharaman is an Indian politician serving as the current Finance Minister of India. She is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Congress’s 2024 manifesto -: A manifesto is a public declaration of policies and aims, usually before an election. The Congress party’s 2024 manifesto would be their plan and promises for the 2024 elections.
unemployment -: Unemployment means that people who are able and willing to work cannot find jobs. It is a major issue because it affects people’s ability to earn money and support themselves.
inflation -: Inflation is when the prices of goods and services increase over time. This means that the same amount of money buys fewer things than before.
public healthcare -: Public healthcare refers to medical services provided by the government to its citizens, usually at low or no cost. It includes hospitals, clinics, and other health services.
tax relief -: Tax relief means reducing the amount of tax that people have to pay. It is often given to help people with low incomes or to encourage certain activities like saving money or investing.
