Y.N. Joshi, Hubli

It Should not be a Ritual

Since the advent of Indira Gandhi as the prime minister of India, the union budgets have lost their shine.Especially in the recent past they have become a ritual. Since government needs the nod of parliament for spending and taxing, they table a budget every year.But nobody cares for them. Every budget has been a businessman'saccount book. As the account book of businessman doesnot reveal the true picture of his financial status so also doesthe union budget. It does not lay down any economic policy. It simply talks of social justice, Aam Aadmi or Garibi Hatao .But the stark reality is that crores of people are living below the poverty line. Lakhs of villages have no potable water,schools, healthcare facilities.They do not have roads even. Then what is the fun in preparing a budget every year ?If at all the present finance minister wants his coming budget to be an instrument of social change, he should do the following things.Give top priority to agriculture. Waiver of loans and giving subsidy to farmers will not solve the problem.They are only vote catching devices. They have helped only the rich farmers. Budget should announce that the governmentwill purchase all the agricultural produce at a higher price and abolish subsidy and loan waiver etc.Alocate more money for education so that the government would be for education so that the government would be able toopen thousands and thousands of schools and colleges so that nobody needs reservation in institutions.Abolish income tax on salaried people. It is a great burden on them and this amount collected by government is just adrop in the ocean. If the salary is tax free, employees all over the country can creat assets which will help the economicgrowth of the nation.

Y.N.Joshi
Senior Journalist
LIG 253, 10 th Cross,
Navanagar, Hubli - 580 025.
Telephone No. : 0836 - 2223931
yalagurd@rediffmail.com