Budget 2023: ‘No Relief from Inflation’, Opposition Leaders Criticise Union Budget | Who Said What

Presenting the Union Budget 2023-24 in Parliament on Wednesday, Sitharaman announced an increase in the income tax rebate limit from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh under the new tax regime.

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday presented the Modi government’s last full budget before the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls. In her 84-minute speech, Nirmala Sitharaman announced a slew of policies for different sectors starting from education, auto, and infrastructure to defense. Presenting the Union Budget 2023-24 in Parliament on Wednesday, Sitharaman announced an increase in the income tax rebate limit from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh under the new tax regime. She added that the new tax regime will now be the default tax regime.

While, Political leaders across party lines welcomed the recent tax rebates announced in the Union Budget 2023-24, but some Opposition leaders criticised the Centre for failing to adequately address the issues of unemployment and inflation.

Here’s How Political Leader Reacted To Modi Government’s First Budget Of ‘Amrit Kaal’

Mamata Banerjee: This Union Budget is not futuristic, totally opportunistic, anti-people and anti-poor. It will benefit only one class of people. This Budget will not help address the country’s unemployment issue. It has been prepared with an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Mehbooba Mufti: Taxes have increased and money is not being spent on welfare schemes or subsidies. Taxes are being amassed for their crony capitalists. The taxes imposed should have benefitted the people, but they have broken their backs. Rather than benefitting people, welfare schemes and subsidies are being done away with. The situation in the country is such that those who had risen above the poverty line have again fallen below it.

Arvind Kejriwal: There is no relief from inflation in this budget. On the contrary, this budget will lead to price rise. There is no concrete plan to remove unemployment. It’s unfortunate that they reduced the education budget from 2.64 per cent to 2.5 per cent. Reducing health budget from 2.2 per cent to 1.98 per cent is harmful

P Chidambaram: Budget shows that govt not bothered about the people & their concerns about lives & livelihood and growing inequality between the rich & poor. Finance Minister didn’t mention the words like unemployment, poverty, or inequality anywhere in her speech

Gaurav Gogoi: Poor got just words and rhetoric. Budget benefits only the big industrialists. Tax rebate up to Rs 7 lakh is insignificant considering the inflation and price-rise, it’s like drop in ocean for middle class