Union budget is 'anti-people': VS

"The CPM-led LDF government in Kerala Friday slammed the Union Budget as 'anti-people', alleging the budgetary proposals would only accelerate the current inflationary trend.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said the proposal to impose customs duty on petroleum products and hike in excise duty on non-petroleum products would add misery to the common man, who is already reeling under skyrocketing prices.

The move to step up disinvestment of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) would speed up privatisation, he said, adding there was nothing to help the farm sector. State finance minister T M Thomas Isaac said there was nothing in the Budget to check price rise.

'The plan to mobilise Rs 46,000 crore by increasing excise duty by two per cent on items mainly consumed by the common man will only result in a spurt in prices of essential commodities,' he said.

The budget proposals were very 'disappointing' to Kerala as the Centre’s revenue allocation to it would be less, the minister said. Isaac also flayed the proposal to mobilise Rs 25,000 crore by disinvestment of PSUs, saying the Centre was all set to 'hand over' them to corporate giants."

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