Left, Pm Meet On Budget Today

Leaders of the Left parties are likely to meet Prime Minister I K Gujral today to suggest changes in the Finance Bill, which is due to bediscussed in Parliament from April 30.

Representatives of four Left parties met yesterday and decided to hand a list of amendments to the Prime Minister. These are to include changes in the tax proposals, reversal of the across-the-board reduction in custom duties and the hike in excise duties.

They also decided to demand greater allocation for the rural and social sectors.

The parties decided that their MPs would raise objections to the proposed move to open health insurance to foreign investors and to the plan to disinvest from public sector units (PSUs).

These measures do not form part of the Finance Bill, but were announced during the presentation of the Union Budget.

In a statement, the Left parties said that in the taxation proposals, there are big concessions given to the corporate sector and the richer strata.

The lowering of corporate taxes and other similar concessions to the affluent sections should be modified.

Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary A B Bardhan said after the meeting that the tax proposals were biased against the people of the lower income group.

Left leaders expressed their fears at the proposed reductions in customs duties.

They say that such reductions would adversely effect the indigenous industries.