Budget has nothing significant to offer: CPI(M)

The CPI(M) today said the budget presented by the Jammu and Kashmir government reflects "rosy figures" and has "nothing significant" to offer.
"The budget 2015-2016 presented by the government reflects rosy figures and is devoid of any relief for the common man," Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, an MLA and state Secretary CPI(M) said today.
"This budget has nothing significant to offer and instead has furthered desperation and disappointment for different sections of society, be it the unemployed educated youth, people associated with business, agriculture, horticulture, handicrafts, causal labourers, daily wagers, Anganwari workers and helpers, ASHAs, contractuals, SPOs, old aged, handicapped, Nambardars and Chowkidars, Chopans, Gujjar and Bakerwal community," he said.

People are dismayed over the response to the alarming unemployment crisis in the state and the present budget lacks comprehensive plan to address this issue, he said.
"It was expected from the present budget to mitigate the sufferings of the educated youth who are craving for jobs and most of them being at the verge of age bar. Handicrafts sector which is considered as traditional source of employment, is shrinking and the people associated with the business are sure to be dismayed as their aspirations have not been reflected," he said.
Tarigami further said, "There is no concrete respite for people whose property including residential houses and agriculture lands got damaged due to the devastating floods in September 2014 across the state".

The budget is also silent about the delayed payment of wages to the casual labourers working in different departments for years together, he added.

Similarly, the budget has not mentioned anything about the marketing facilities and infrastructure for horticulture produce, he said, adding, nothing has been earmarked with regard to establishment of cold storage chains across the state for better marketing of horticulture produce.
Subsidisation of fertilizers, pesticides and farm equipment, reducing the interest on farm loans, enhancing allocations for irrigation sector have been totally ignored, he alleged.
No big initiatives find place in the budget for making crop and livestock insurances schemes successful, he said.

"The budget is silent about enhancement of honorarium in favour of anganwadi workers and helpers out of state share and improving their working conditions along with ASHAs who were rendering services tirelessly", he added.