Hon. Chairman, Sir, I thank you
for giving me this opportunity to participate in the general discussion on the
Budget presented by the hon. Finance Minister on 23rd July. This is the first Budget in hon.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term and it stands as evidence to the
country’s inclusive growth and economic resilience. This Budget is going to be a milestone
Budget.
I congratulate the hon.
Finance Minister for presenting her record seventh Budget in a row. This clearly indicates how the hon. Prime
Minister Narendra Modi is giving importance to empowering women. I wish her best100 of times to
come. I am confident that the
Finance Minister, under the leadership of hon. Prime Minister will make120 India the third largest economy in the world.
This Budget
ensures inclusive growth and benefits every section of society. Many hon. Members have spoken about
many things. I do not want to
repeat them.
If you look at the proposed borrowings, they are less than
last year. I compliment the hon. Finance Minister who said that from 2026-27,
the fiscal deficit will be on a declining path as percentage of GDP. It
means availability of200 more money and spending more on
development and welfare.
Hon. Chairperson, Sir, I would like to submit that
the Government of Andhra Pradesh has given an ‘in principle’ approval for
setting up of a nuclear power plant in Andhra Pradesh.240 So, I appeal to the
hon. Finance Minister and the hon. Prime Minister to look into it and see that
the nuclear power plant is set up early.
Now, I come to my State of Andhra Pradesh. People of Andhra
Pradesh have given an unprecedented mandate to the NDA. A visionary
leader became the Chief Minister again with the guidance,300
support and helping hand of the hon. Prime Minister. I am confident; the BJP
leaders are confident; and NDA is confident that Andhra Pradesh will regain its
lost glory. The importance of Andhra Pradesh is reflected in this Budget. Never
in the history, there have been five paragraphs under one heading
relating to Andhra Pradesh. This clearly indicates the importance360
that the present Government is giving to Andhra Pradesh.
Sir, this
Budget is like oxygen for Andhra Pradesh which is on ventilator because
of the wrong deeds of the earlier State Government. The Chief Minister is
releasing White Papers on400 various sectors. So far, five White
Papers have been released and, I think, three more are going to be released in
the Andhra Pradesh Assembly during the current Budget Session. These White
Papers will give a clear picture of the damage done by the previous State
Government in Andhra Pradesh between 2019 and 2024. Sir, five crore people of
Andhra Pradesh are greatly thankful to the hon. Prime Minister and the
hon. Finance Minister for480 all the proposals made in this Budget.
I thank you, Sir, for giving me the
opportunity to speak on the500 Union Budget 2024-25. This is a budget of compulsion. This is a
budget of a politically weak and unstable Government. This Budget ignores the federal
structure of the Constitution. The interests of all other States except two
States have been neglected. Sir, all States had decided to join India as India
has a federal structure. All States are to be treated as equal. The
Constitution talks about Union List, State List and Concurrent List.
In the last 10 years, many subjects
belonging to State List and Concurrent List have been removed from there and unilaterally
put in the Union List.600 States are being weakened financially. Centre has taken away all
the powers of the States and States have been left with a begging bowl only.
Except for Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, many other States are feeling ignored and marginalized.
Their interests have been ignored. Sir, the States contribute towards
strengthening the GDP of the country. Revenue is generated by the
States. All natural resources are located in States. But States are being
weakened consistently and their rights are being taken away by the
Centre.
Hon. Speaker Sir, this Budget does not mention Punjab. Punjab was at
the vanguard in the700 freedom struggle. Maximum number of martyrs
belonged to Punjab. A lot of sacrifices were made by Punjabis for protecting
the720 country. During all wars, Punjabis were at the forefront. There
were martyrs in a majority of villages of Punjab. When India was facing
famines in the 1970s, Punjab became the harbinger of Green Revolution.
India was importing food grains at that time from rich and developed
countries. But, Punjab made India self-sufficient in food grains
production. All credit goes to the farmers of Punjab. We had to suffer as our
soil got degraded. Our air was polluted. Our800 river-water became
polluted. Punjab needed Central help. But, no help was provided to Punjab. The
industries of Punjab migrated to neighbouring States in search of
greener pastures.
Our youths are feeling frustrated. All avenues of youth for progress
are840 blocked. So, drugs have become rampant in Punjab. Our youths
are addicted to drugs. Others are migrating to foreign countries in search of
better avenues. Sir, India is a country dependent on agriculture. The farmers
of Punjab made supreme sacrifices. They protested against black laws on the
roads of Delhi. 750 farmers became martyrs to protect the interests of900 farmers. They wanted MSP for food grains to be given legal
guarantee. The Government has not made any provisions regarding this in the
Budget. Sir, Adani and Ambani are corporates who are friendly with the Central
Government. They want to capture the millions of rupees worth of market
of food grains production and storage. Farmers are being made scapegoats
due to960 this reason. This budget does not give any MSP guarantee to
farmers. Their loans have not been waived off. I urge the
Government to provide a legal guarantee for MSP of food grains. The loans of
farmers must be waived1000 off. Besides, 20 lakh Government jobs must be filled and old
pension scheme must be implemented. 1016
