Opposition leaders urge Finance Minister to address inflation, unemployment in Union budget 2024-25

Varanasi, July 23: Emphasising the need for measures to address inflation, particularly the soaring prices of essential commodities and life-saving drugs, Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai has voiced the expectations of the middle class for the Union Budget 2024-25.

Expressing his expectations from the budget, Congress leader Ajay Rai said on Tuesday, "In this budget, inflation should be controlled. The price of garlic is Rs 500 per kg, and the prices of vegetables and medicines have gone up. The price of life-saving drugs has increased. Employment opportunities also need to be generated. All these factors need to be worked upon."

Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray's (UBT) faction leader, Priyanka Chaturvedi, echoed similar expectations, stating that the finance minister should concentrate on tackling unemployment and inflation.

"I hope Nirmala Sitharaman ji will provide some relief from rising inflation and unemployment, and the government will talk about 'Jan ki baat' and not the PM's 'mann ki baat,'" Chaturvedi said.

Expressing disappointment with the unfulfilled promises of the last six budgets, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader TKS Elangovan said, "What they did in the first ten years, they will continue because Nirmala Sitharaman is presenting her 7th budget."

Highlighting the issue of income inequality, Elangovan added, "Their budget exercise is only for some of the rich people in this country, not for the poor. The NSSO has several times stated that domestic consumption has gone down. Poor people, BPL families, and middle-income people could not purchase anything. But this government has waived loans for very rich people, amounting to thousands of crores. They need money to support the rich people who have failed in their industrial processes. That is what this budget is for, and this government is for."

Meanwhile, the Congress party organised a strategy group meeting at Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi's residence on Monday ahead of the announcement of the Union Budget 2024-25.

The meeting, held at around 6 pm, involved discussions among party members about the issues to be raised in parliament during the budget session.

Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget 2024 in Parliament today, marking her seventh consecutive budget and eclipsing the late Morarji Desai's record of six consecutive budgets. This budget is likely to focus on changes in the income tax structure and improving the ease of doing business in India.

The Budget Session of Parliament commenced on Monday and will include 16 sittings spread over 22 days.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey 2023-24, along with a statistical appendix, in Parliament on Monday, a day ahead of the Union Budget. This will be the first full budget of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government in its third term.

Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that this session will mainly be devoted to the financial business relating to the Union Budget for 2024-25, which will be presented in Lok Sabha on July 23. The government's agenda also includes some bills for consideration and passage.

The opposition parties are seeking to corner the government on a range of issues, including the NEET-UG row and the police directive on the Kanwar Yatra route.