Mumbai, Feb 1 (NationPress) The Maharashtra Congress President, Harshwardhan Sapkal, remarked on Sunday that the budget unveiled by the Modi government mirrors its predecessors without any significant changes.

“This budget does not cater to any social group, being merely a collection of inflated figures and assertions,” he stated.

He accused the budget of being manipulated, asserting it lacks any meaningful direction.

“A robust policy is essential for extensive job creation in the nation, yet this budget fails to provide such clarity. There are no tangible provisions for farmers, nor any relief for the income-tax paying working class and middle class. Realizing the proclaimed growth targets seems implausible, as this central government budget remains confined to mere announcements,” Sapkal noted.

Sapkal further mentioned that demonetization and GST have severely weakened small, medium, and large enterprises, which continue to lack substantial support from this budget.

“The majority of job creation in the country stems from this sector, yet the government has wholly disregarded this fact. Unemployment has surged significantly under Modi's administration, with recent statistics showing one in two graduates is without work, and unemployment rates exceeding 50 percent,” he added.

He asserted that the Modi government has faltered in attracting investments and creating jobs.

“Despite India being an agricultural nation, this budget has let down the farming community. The objective of doubling farmers' income has not been achieved over the past 12 years. Conversely, farming costs have doubled, agricultural produce is not receiving fair compensation, there’s no decisive action on minimum support prices, and incidences of farmer suicides are escalating. No substantial provisions address these critical issues. The government must realize that farmers' challenges cannot be resolved with an annual payment of 6,000 rupees,” remarked Sapkal.

Sapkal highlighted that while the government claims 25 crore individuals have escaped poverty in the last decade, the reality remains that 80 crore citizens are still receiving only 5 kg of grain.

“How did the poverty of 25 crore people diminish in this manner? This raises significant questions. It is merely a manipulation of statistics. With gold prices hitting two lakh rupees per tola and silver reaching four lakh rupees per kg, the government has no strategy to manage these prices. There is a lack of a solid policy to combat inflation,” he commented.

According to Sapkal, the central government is burdened by substantial debt. Initiatives are being implemented through loans, yet there’s no noticeable enhancement in the living standards of our citizens.

He pointed out that income and wealth disparities in India have reached unprecedented levels.

“Approximately 58 percent of the country's overall income is concentrated in the hands of the top 10 percent, while only 15 percent is allocated to the bottom 50 percent. About 40 percent of the nation's wealth resides with just the top 1 percent. This isn’t merely a statistic; it reflects a profound imbalance within our economic framework. This budget fails to address inequality,” he concluded.