The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Budget lacks worthwhile measures for checking inflation: Vaiko

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 02, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Budget lacks worthwhile measures for checking inflation: Vaiko

Special Correspondent

"No considerable allotment for education, health"

CHENNAI: Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Vaiko on Thursday said that the Union budget had failed to protect the interests of the common man, as it did not contain any worthwhile measures for checking inflation and rising prices of essential commodities.

In a statement here, Mr.Vaiko said though the Finance Minister announced one-lakh scholarships for students, employment for one lakh physically challenged and assistance to Tamil Nadu for rejuvenating water sources, there was no considerable allotment for education and health. Substantial allocation to these sectors would have helped to improve the GDP and economic development of the country.

He said it was disappointing that there was no mention in the budget about linking of major rivers, which had been assured in the Common Minimum Programme of the United Progressive Alliance Government.

Despite the Finance Minister's claim that priority had been given to agriculture, the budget failed to spell out any measures to alleviate the miseries of farmers and reduce the interest rate for loans availed by them. Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam president Vijayakant said it was regrettable that the budget did not have schemes to improve the livelihood of the poor. The proposals would worsen their standard of living. There were no proposals to arrest the rising prices of essential commodities, solve unemployment problem and eradicate poverty, he added.

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