Budget very disappointing and directionless: Opposition

Opposition parties today came down heavily on General Budget 2011-12 dismissing the exercise as "very disappointing and directionless" and said it has failed to address the problems of unemployment and price rise affecting the common man.

The Left and the Right saw nothing much to write home about the Budget, which they said was an exercise of "nominality" given the elections in five states round the corner.

Leader of the Opposition, Sushma Swaraj, regretted that the Budget did not have even the mention of the word 'unemployment' nor has any plans for controlling price rise.

"It is a very very disappointing Budget, which has not done justice to the common man, woman and the youth," the BJP leader said, adding that the only thing good was the rise in remuneration of Anganwadi workers and helpers.

CPI leader Gururdas Dasgupta said Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had not mentioned what is the additional tax on the "affluent middle class and millionaires" at a time when the rich are growing richer by the day.

"This is a Budget of nominality with elections in five states on the mind of the Finance Minister," Dasgupta said adding the exercise showed that there has been no change in the policies of the ruling dispensation.

Terming the Budget as "timid", former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha said, "the Budget is exactly according to the personality of the Finance Minister as the Budget is completely devoid of reforms. It is not tackling any reforms."

BJD MP Jay Panda described it as "mixed Budget" but rued "no steps were taken by the government to contain the inflationary trend in the Budget."

Asked if the Budget was aimed at the forthcoming elections in states, SP spokesperson Mohan Singh said, "it may be even aimed at the General Elections also."

RJD Chief Lalu Prasad said he was "happy" about the Budget.

He described revolutionary step providing cash subsidy in fertilisers, LPG and kerosene directly to consumers.

Congress, however, hailed the Budget saying the Finance Minister did not take any "cheap populist step" and the exercise was a reflection of an India aspiring to become super power.

Party spokesman Manish Tewari said, "concrete steps have been taken to strengthen the economic fundamentals in the Budget," adding the Finance Minister's exercise was futuristic.