Budget 2024: 'This year's budget echoes the need for a change in leadership'

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the 10th budget of Narendra Modi government This interim budget implies that a new government may take office in April May or preferably June 2024 with the budget presentation expected in July So what has been presented now is not set in stone but rather a mirageAs simple middleclass people our understanding of the budget is limited to whether inflation has increased or not Unfortunately inflation appears to be on the rise impacting the lives of common people In this years interim budget there is no visible sign that concrete steps have been taken to address this issueSweet words masking a chaotic realityDuring the budget presentation Nirmala Sitharamans language was optimistic portraying a humanitarian and inclusive approach to development Sitharaman conveyed a sense of reassurance painting a picture of a nation where nobody needed to worry about anything She said Our approach to development reflects a humanitarian and inclusive stance distinct from the past emphasis on provisioning to the village levelrdquoShe continued ldquoOver the last decade development initiatives have been directed at every household and individual encompassing homes for all har ghar jal electricity cooking gas bank accounts and financial services for all The distribution of free rations has alleviated food insecurity for 80 crore people Regular adjustments to minimum base prices for food suppliers have contributed to increased real incomes in rural areas addressing economic needs and fostering growth and job creationHowever a critical analysis reveals that these assertions may be more theoretical than practical Questions arise regarding the actual impact of schemes like Ujwala Yojana on women Has the cost of cooking gas decreased as promised Are essential commodities like wheat rice dal edible oil and milk maintaining stable prices The goal of freeing the nations poor from hunger merits scrutiny to ascertain its realworld manifestationBudget presentations are often met with predictable responses where leaders from different political parties either praise or criticize the government based on their affiliations This years budget was no exception with government supporters lauding it as the foundation for a developed India while the opposition adhered to their customary critiqueUddhav Thackeray the Chief of Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray took a sarcastic but bold stance in his reaction He remarked ldquoToday marks the last budget presented by the Modi government We extend our congratulations to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for expressing her commitment to the welfare of the poor women youth and farmers It appears that after 10 years they have found that there is a nation beyond your Prime Ministers circle While speaking about women Sitharaman ji why not visit Manipur Engage with Bilqis Banu Declare solidarity Suddenly they are talking about farmers considering them part of the conversation All these seem like magical experiments Artha Sankalpa is akin to wearing a cap Promises of free cylinders for women have surfaced They claim to generate employment for the youth The question remains ndash what have they achieved in the past decaderdquoUddhav Thackerays reaction resonates with the sentiments of the common people who are also questioning the governments track record over the last ten years The demand for accountability echoes in the collective inquiry If promises are made for the welfare of women the poor farmers and youth what has the Narendra Modi government done in the previous decadeHave women really been empoweredNirmala Sitharaman a woman herself asserted during the budget presentation Over the past ten years there has been a significant push towards the empowerment of women through initiatives promoting entrepreneurship ease of living and fostering respect for them 30 crore Mudra Yojana loans have been disbursed to women entrepreneurs The enrollment of women in higher education has seen a remarkable twentyeight percent increase and in STEM courses the enrollment of girls and women has reached fortythree percent a global high These efforts are contributing to a growing presence of women in the workforce Legislative measures such as the abolition of triple talaq the reservation of onethird seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies and granting over seventy percent of houses in rural areas as sole or joint ownership to women under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana have further fueled their empowermentHowever there must be thorough research to ascertain whether the portrayed picture aligns with reality Skepticism arises reminiscent of Prime Minister Modis online interaction with a woman regarding her farm income The subsequent revelation exposed discrepancies revealing a glossy picture concealing a different truthThe past decade under Modis leadership is an alluring facade with underlying complexities The sale of numerous PSUs the dominance of Adani and Ambani in the countrys affairs and the concentration of projects and contracts in Gujarat and Adanis are evidenceThe concern is that if the people dont wake up to these realities and continue to be swayed by Modis illusory promises the countrys future may be jeopardizedBJP should recall the slogan that it raised ten years ago ldquoMehngai jo rok na saki woh sarkar nikkami hai jo sarkar nikkami hai wo sarkar badlani hairdquo The government that cannot curb inflation is ineffective and if the government is ineffective it must be changedThe interim budget echoes the need for a change in leadershipHarshal Pradhan is the spokesperson for Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackerays PartyDisclaimer The views expressed in this column are those of the individual and donrsquot represent those of the paper