JOIN USPraising Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari for steering road projects under challenging circumstances, Congress Monday trashed the Budget as the one “without big ideas” and a “Wasted opportunity.”
“A list of new promises without any account of the failure of tall promises made in last two budgets,” Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi tweeted, slamming the budget for lacking vision and conviction.
Jaitley’s predecessor in the finance ministry P Chidambaram said the budget offered little succour to the tax payer, middle class or small and medium businesses.
“The reduction in the corporate tax rate for a very limited class from 30 percent to 29 percent is laughable. Besides there are new cesses and surcharges,” Chidambaram, a senior Congress spokesperson, told reporters.
He said the government has overlooked problems dogging the core sectors like power, steel, coal, mining, cement, construction, and oil and gas. “Many projects are stranded in the sectors and there is little new investment,” Chidambaram said, singling out the road projects as the only positive aspect.
Congress also rejected that the budget is pro-rural or pro-poor.