New Delhi, Jan 24 Ahead of the Budget the Congress has alleged that there are deep fissures between the rich and the poor in this country. It is only widening and income disparity is increasing and it is on account of the government as it is robbing the poor of their wealth, of their income, of their opportunities.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate on Monday quoting a report said in a press conference that, "20 per cent of India's population, which is above 15 crore households, the incomes have dipped by 53 per cent as compared to 2016 and incomes for lower middle income group have dipped by 32 percent, for middle income group by 9 per cent. So on a broad speaking level, 60 per cent of India is today earning less than what it was earning 5 years back."
She said its important to point out here that further 20 per cent for whom income has halved under the Modi Government, the same population saw their income surge by 183 per cent under the UPA rule from 2005 to 2015, when we lifted 27 crore people out of poverty, but, guess whose income is now going up - the richest 20 per cent are richer by 39 per cent.
"We have seen how income divide is increasing in this economy and so we, from this platform suggest two things: A
Gross economic mismanagement index should be instituted so that one gets to know how badly mismanaged the Indian economy is. Why is unemployment on the rise? Whom is the price rise affecting the most? Why are corporate taxes being cut, but, GST, which is being borne by everybody, being increased."
She said that the party insists that the Union Budget must and only focus on bridging this divide between the rich and the poor. The Union Budget should only and only focus on increasing money in the hands of the poor. It should pay attention, how urban poverty is going up manifold and rural poverty in comparison has gone up, but gone up lesser because MGNREGA has come to the rescue, for MGNREGA has served the purpose, it has protected the rural economy.
"I really think that the government of the day, which is about to present the Union Budget should accept the problem, that there is a huge income disparity problem, there is a huge increasing income inequality in this country and if you are not going to bridge that, we are going to face very, very grave consequences."
She said this will have repercussions on social equity, this will have repercussions on crime, this will have repercussions of all kind, this will have repercussions on a demographic dividend, which you have turned into a demographic disaster.
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