Not addressed the cost of living crisis

Dr Santosh Kumar Mohapatra

Whoever forms a government or becomes a finance minister, the size of budget increases in each year in nominal term. Hence , each finance minister has to spend. But our budget size as percentage of GDP is very low compared to that of other developed countries. Should the government try to take credit for each rupee spent which is seen in last few years.Further, those money are collected from people especially more from poor and middle class people through higher GST and excessive excise on petroleum products.Revenue through GST has increased not because of better compliance but higher GST rate and bringing more goods and services under tax regime.

The finance minister is speaking in such a way that a budget speech is a election speech where finance minister resorted to publicity blitzkrieg . The same old slogan of Sabka sath, Sabka Bikas; Amrit Kaal; Kartavya kaal; Inclusive development;Bikasita Bharat; Social justice;Jaya Jawan, Jaya Kishan, Jaya Bigyan, Jaya Anusandhan. Now GDP is termed as Governance, Development and Performance to hoodwink masses.
Never addressed the cost of living crisis, unfettered price rise , staggering unemployment, rampant inequality, pervasive poverty,
fiscal abyss, growing debt burden etc.Why excise tax on petroleum products is not reduced.

Health, education has now become unaffordable and highly expensive. But never spoken about health and education.
Health insurance is not substitute for health expenditure.
Expenditure on infrastructure has increased but roads are used by common people in dilapidated conditions. Further cost overrun of important infrastructure projects is more than 4 lakh crore nullifing the enhanced outlay. No change tax structure as usually, tax changes are not affected in interim budget. But in past, changes are done which may be effected in final budget . Middle class are worst affected. Real wage has declined.
If the nation is progressing and there is development, then why is the government providing free food grains to 80 crores people. The much trumpeted decline of multidimensional poverty is a gimmick and humbug as it is a deprivation line.
Finance Misters says Corona has not affected Indians but India is second worst affected. What about the decline of real income। ( Oxfam report and Pew research), rise in poverty ( World Bank) , decline of employment and ruse of unemployment ( CMIE report ). What about 1. 47 lakh children who have lost parents ( both or one of them).
The talk of poor youth , women, farmers is just to camouflage weakness. Never addressed problems of youth, women and farmers are not
addressed.Overall, there is no effort to increase the standard of living, prevent erosion of purchasing power and solve the cost of living crisis.
The talk of developed India sounds preposterous, jarring as nobody can say what will happen tomorrow.