An annual exercise that alienates more

[katharnak]

Posted by Narasimha Reddy Donthi on March 6, 2011


Years back, the budget announcement was a big event. Not many could understand it, only few were experts. Nani Palikhivala was the most sought after expert on budget. Analysing taxes and economic trends based on the budget were his forte. In fact, many did not have access to budget documents at all. Not many legislators understood it. They had to rely on newspapers editorials, journalists and economists. Today, we have more experts, more knowledge and resources. There are n-number of people who discern the right and wrong of the budget.


Then, rise in non-Plan expenditure was sacrilegious. This was considered unplanned. Anything unplanned was not acceptable. Today, non-plan allocations are equal or on par in many departments.


Then, few sections had a significant say in budget allocations. Other demands were guillotined, without discussion. Any price, tax or allocation was debated intensively. Budget debates have become shallow. To obviate this, there are non-profit organisations which focus on budgetary allocations, and try to link them with the policy intentions. They prepare briefs for the legislators. People are being trained on how to look at budgets. However, the attention is hogged by business organisations who are ready with comments, within the hour of the budget speech by the Finance Minister.


Budget information is also available for more people than before. Both print and visual Media gives wide coverage of the budget. They analyse trends in the past few years. they would educate the reader on what can be seen and what is not seen.


Amidst all these inclusive process on budget, there is an alienation process as well. Increasingly, the voices that are heard are always repeated, by the media. Same people have same comments. Same politicians have different comments, depending on where they are positioned. These comments have become short, sharp and witty, but repeated. Some are cliches, and some are boring.


Business leaders keep demanding tax cuts and promotional investment. Opposition leaders keep saying this does not help in reduction of poverty. Media, depending on whose side they are, would engage in endless debates on what is good or bad. Despite such wider awareness and discussion, governments have always escaped responsibilities. Of late, budgets have become irrelevant for development planning. This is because even today I think not more than 10 lakh people would be interested in knowing the budgets and their allocations. Ofcourse, people who are under the tax net would be aware of the tax proposals, and not more or less.


Budgets need to link up with the common people's needs and expectations. They are not aligned, in recent times. They either cater to their greed or dreams, and not for their needs. Every Parliamentary Standing Committee had comments on budgets, their allocations and spending. it has become routine by many counts.

[b]
Budgets are not based on any numbers or logic. It was jugglery before. It has become facade, now. Pranab Mukherjee admitted so much in his budget speech this year. He makes allocations based on his lucky number 3.[/b] Allocations are done, expenditure is not commensurate. Even allocations are not in tune with the need. there is no accountability, about why expenditures do not happen. Huge 'cross' expenditures are allowed. In 2007-08, there was this expenditure in Handloom dept towards some construction by Hyderabad Metro Water Works in a Biotech Park. As is obvious, no connection there.


Common man does not have any hopes on budget for this reason. While the quantum of budgets have been growing, the money that is 'effective' and does 'reach the common man' is decreasing.[b] For handloom sector, this year the allocation is Rs.431 crores. In comparison, NIFT gets Rs.167 crores. A sector which supports employment of more than 3 crore population and has a turnover of more than Rs.60,000 crores, does not get attention. But, an institution which negates that employment gets higher allocation. Despite such allocation, education is not cheaper at NIFT. Only the 'class' can get admissions here. Our leaders would wax eloquently in speeches that handloom sector is next biggest to agriculture.[/b]


In handloom sector, for the last 15 years, the allocations totalled Rs.3,870 crores. This year's allocation, as before, is 0.03 percent of Indian budget. In comparison, government has given more than Rs.5,00,000 crore as tax concessions to private companies, this year. There are pundits, who pontificate on subsidies to the poor, do not see the figures, nor comment on it. India Inc is living and enjoying free lunches and dinners at the cost of the tax payer, and not on their entrepreneurial abilities.


Unfortunately, media does not debate this. They are concerned with numbers, big names, economists and punchlines.

[PMREDDY19]

maama  Budget gurinchi a tv lo emi cheppani time lo andaru news paperlu motham chadive vallu.

kani ippudu budget pettaka mundhey anni tv channels vallaki avasaramina factor gurinchi discuss chestaru.

inka manam telusukovalsina matter kantey anvasaramina vishayalu chaala unayi..



asalu news paper lo budget gurinchi emi vastunnayo kuda teliyatledhu...