New Delhi: The Congress on Friday dubbed the Union Budget as “insipid” and an “opaque exercise” prepared without listening to the voices of either ordinary citizens or knowledgeable economists and it belied the expectations of every section of society.Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has not given any meaningful relief to anyone in the Union Budget. He said that it was shocking that the Budget did not disclose allocations to important programmes or ministries. Also Read – How a psychopath killer hid behind the mask of a devout laity!The former Finance Minister also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of initiating incremental reforms and not structural reforms, as brought by his predecessor and former PM Manmohan Singh. Expressing doubt on the fiscal deficit figures, he said going by last year’s numbers, the figure of 3.3 per cent fiscal deficit looks “not credible”. He also alleged that “New india” has become the new slogan under his government and noted that slogans in this government have a life of a few months and this will die after some time too. Also Read – Encounter under way in Pulwama, militant killed”Budget 2019-20 is an insipid Budget. The Finance Minister’s speech was an unusually opaque exercise,” he told a press conference. “Altogether, the Budget has been prepared without listening to the voices of either ordinary citizens or knowledgeable economists. The Budget has also belied the modest expectations raised yesterday by the Economic Survey,” he said. Chidambaram asked if there was a Budget speech ever that does not disclose the total revenue, total expenditure, fiscal deficit, revenue deficit, additional revenue mobilization or the financial concessions. “Has there ever been a Budget speech that does not disclose the allocations to important programmes like MGNREGA, Mid-day Meal Scheme, Healthcare etc. and to vulnerable sections like SC, ST, Minorities, Women etc.? We are shocked by this departure from the usual practice,” he said. Chidambaram said it is “unfair” to the people of India to not tell them what is the allocation for the defence sector or the allocation under schemes like Mid-Day meals. “Belying widespread expectations, the FM has given no meaningful relief to any section of the people. On the contrary the FM has increased customs duties on a large number of goods (protectionist), raised taxes on petrol and diesel (exploitative) and proposed extensive amendments to the Income Tax Act that will increase the tax and compliance burdens on the taxpayer,” he said. The former finance minister also said that there is nothing in this budget specifically to say how the government intends to reverse the slide in the agriculture sector. “We think states have the capacity to deliver public goods and services and it is not correct to reduce state governments to mere local administrations. Another grave infirmity in this approach is that the Modi government refuses to measure outcomes, refuses to take note of field reports and refuses to correct the exaggerated claims of success,” he said. Chidambaram also said the Budget speech was totally bereft of any reform, not to speak of structural reforms and the Chief Economic Adviser, who set the goal for India to become a USD 5 trillion economy by boosting private investment, must be the “most disappointed person”. “There was no indication in the Budget speech of any measures to attract greater private investment,” he said. “The Modi government treats India as one big state government and has taken upon itself to do things that are the right and duty of state governments. This is not cooperative federalism, it is an unequal partnership imposed by the Centre upon state governments,” Chidambaram said. He alleged that people doing planning in this government are thinking in one direction, while those acting are thinking in another. He alleged those advising the government are advocating structural reforms, buy they are initiating incremental reforms instead. “Prime Minister Modi wants to do incremental reforms rather than structural reforms. He is an incremental reformer and not a radical reformer like Manmohan Singh. Criticising the Budget, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said it was just a repetition of “old promises”. “They are talking about a new India, but it is simply old wine in a new bottle.” The Modi government has tried to project India as “El Dorado” (place of fabulous wealth for all), but in reality the pain of the economy is being experienced, he said. “There is no plan for employment generation, there is no distinct plan for giving any facilities to agriculture sector, labour sector. This is nothing but a litany of old promises,” he said. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala slammed the government over budget proposals and asked if a “mundane jugglery of acronyms” can pass off for vision of New India. “An utterly lacklustre, nondescript, uninspiring and directionless Budget 2019. Zero on economic revival. Zero on rural growth. Zero on job creation. Zero on Urban rejuvenation. Can a mundane jugglery of ‘acronyms’ pass off for vision for a ‘New India’?” he said on Twitter. read more