Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and DMK chief M K Stalin have reacted to the Union budget presented by Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday.
Palaniswami welcomed the interim Union budget, saying it is ‘good’ and would help improve the livelihood of the poor and common people.
“I congratulate Piysh Goyal,” Palaniswami said and added that it has met the expectations of the farming sector, middle class and the housing and construction industry.
He welcomed the government’s vision for the next decade, and the assured income support to the small and marginal farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi.
Citing measures like the three per cent interest subvention to farmers pursuing animal husbandry and fisheries, he such such steps would help growth of the primary sector (agriculture) and allied areas.
A separate department for fisheries, Rs 3,000 pension plan under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Shram-Yogi Maandhan’ for the unorganised sector workers and increase in allocation for social welfare projects and in areas, including welfare of SC/STs and sanitation, was welcome, he said.
Increase in income tax exemption to Rs five lakh, raise in tax deduction at source threshold on interest earned on deposits from Rs 10,000 to Rs 40,000 and standard deduction would all benefit the middle class, salaried and pensioners, he said.
“These announcements are appropriate and aimed at the welfare of the middle classes,” Palaniswami told reporters.
DMK president Stalin slammed the Centre for presenting a ‘full fledged’ budget rather than an interim one and dismissed it saying, “this is not a budget, but a poll manifesto aimed at luring the people.”
Stalin, the leader of the opposition in the Assembly, dubbed the budget as a ‘cheap diversionary tactic’ and added that the financial statement would be a ‘bad dream’ for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He blamed the Prime Minister for seeking political mileage out of the schemes like the dole for farmers and attacked the government for pegging a lower fiscal deficit.