'Hollow' budget will lead to price rise: Congress
- State Congress president MM Hassan said that with the budget having no reduction in excise duty for petroleum products, the end result would be price rise
- Former state Finance Minister KM Mani, who has presented 13 state budgets, said that the Union Budget is a disappointing one, especially for farmers
FollowThe Congress' Kerala unit on Thursday described Union finance minister Arun Jaitley's last full budget as a "hollow one", which will lead to price rise.
State Congress president MMÂ Hassan said that with the budget having no reduction in excise duty for petroleum products, the end result would be price rise.
"The agrarian sector in Kerala under the NDA's rule has been the worst-affected and its bad run continues with nothing in it for the sector. Those who were waiting for a revamp of Income Tax have also been disappointed. Another sector that Kerala expected some solace was for a package for the diaspora sector in the wake of many Keralites returning from the Middle East... here also it has been a big disappointment," Hassan said.
"Kerala was also looking forward for announcements in the railway sector, but here too, our long-standing demands for doubling and other value additions to the existing rail network also has not happened. Overall this is one which has nothing much for Kerala," the Congress leader added.
Former state Finance Minister KMÂ Mani, who has presented 13 state budgets, said that the Union Budget is a disappointing one, especially for farmers.
"We expected some sops for the rescue of the rubber farmers here, but it has been overlooked," said Mani, who heads the Kerala Congress (M), a former ally of the Congress and now sitting as an independent block in the Kerala Assembly.
(With agency inputs)
