BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the thrust on infrastructure and technology-led growth in the 2022-23 Union Budget will have positive impact, but core issues like alleviating the problems and sufferings of the common man in a year crushed by the pandemic have been completely missed.
There was nothing for the middle class and poorer sections in the budget. Stating that the middle class and the poor are heavily impacted by price rise and inflation, Naveen said the budget has not addressed the issue of price rise. To compound common people’s woes, there is a sharp decline in LPG subsidy which will affect the household economics very badly.
He stated that reduction in allocation in critical sectors like agriculture and farmers’ welfare, higher education, rural development and women and child development would hamper inclusive growth. Besides, reduction of provision for MGNREGS when the country is in the midst of a pandemic will not help the poor.
The Chief Minister was also not happy over the proposal to reduce food subsidy under National Food Security Act (NFSA) which he said will put farmers in serious trouble. “Already there are serious issues of offtake by the Food Corporation of India leading to dislocation in paddy procurement. The proposal should be reconsidered,” he stated.
The Chief Minister said increasing level of cess and surcharge is shrinking the mandated transfers of share tax due to the states. More than 20 per cent of the Central taxes are proposed to be collected through levy of cess and surcharge which is against the spirit of cooperative federalism.
He also said people of Odisha are shocked that the genuine demands of the State on rural housing are being ignored while the same has been considered for other states. “I hope the Centre would rectify this injustice being meted out to the poor and the tribal people of Odisha by not sanctioning houses,” he added.
The Chief Minister also expressed his unhappiness over the fact that the State’s repeated demand for special status, as it is more frequently affected by natural calamities, has not been addressed in the budget.
Naveen, however, said increased allocation under Jal Jivan Mission and Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana are welcome steps. The production linked initiative schemes in 14 sectors and extension of emergency credit line guarantee scheme will help in mitigating supply side constraints.
Stating that the ‘Odisha Millet Mission’ has been a game changer in promoting nutritional security and augmenting farmers’ income, the Chief Minister expressed his happiness that the Centre has recognised the importance of millet in the Union budget in the context of declaration of 2023 as International Year of Millets by United Nations.