Lok Sabha Resumes Discussion On Union Budget 2025-26; Opposition Slams, BJP Defends
The Lok Sabha today resumed discussion on the Union Budget 2025-26. Dayanidhi Maran of DMK alleged that the NDA budget fully favours the corporates and has failed to address the real problems faced by the people, including unemployment and inflation. He said,The Indian economy is slowing, and GDP grew at 6.4 percent in the last year. He said rupees plunged to an all-time low against the US dollar.
Manish Tiwari of Congress said that the government has failed to achieve a single objective as announced during the demonetisation. Referring to the tax rebate announced in the budget, he said taxpayers had been demanding this for the last five years. He questioned the government on the issue of fiscal deficit. In his speech, Mr. Tiwari also alleged that the country’s agriculture sector is facing challenges. Supriya Sule of NCP (SaradPawar) raised the issue of the weakening of the INR against the US dollar.
She said the capital expenditure to GDP ratio declined in this fiscal year while household debts are increasing. She said foreign investors have been on a selling spree. Gurmeet Singh Hayer of the Aam Aadmi Party said, Despite economic growth, per capita income is stagnant. He alleged that corporate earnings have increased multifold during the BJP government.
Kalyan Banerjee of Trinamool Congress said the country’s external debt has risen exponentially to 60.82 lakh crore rupees in 2025 in comparison to 39.5 lakh crore rupees in 2019. He raised questions over the government saying that the budgetary allocation for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme has been reduced to 86 thousand crore rupees. Iqra Choudhary of the Samajwadi Party raised the issue of unemployment, inflation, and higher input costs for farmers.
On the tax rebate up to 12 lakh rupee income, she said that only 2 percent of people pay direct tax in the country while no relief was given from indirect taxes. Mian Altaf Ahmad of J&K NC pointed towards the low budgetary allocations for the MGNREGA scheme. He said unemployment is the biggest issue, and the budget is silent about this issue. Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM raised the issue of unemployment, inflation, and poverty.
Echoing the same view, NK Premchandran of RSP termed this budget anti-federal. He said the devolution of tax revenues drastically declined.
On the other hand, BJP MP Anurag Singh Thakur lauded the Budget 2025-26, saying that record budgetary allocations have been made for every sector, and this budget is for national welfare. He said the Indian economy scaled new heights under the NDA government and reached the fifth spot. He expressed confidence that India will become the third-largest economy in the next three years.
He said the defence budget increased from two lakh crore in 2013-14 to six lakh 81 thousand crore rupees, and the railways budget increased from 27 thousand crore rupees to two lakh 55 thousand crore rupees. Accusing the previous UPA government, Mr. Thakur said the earlier scam was prevalent in the government, but now the government is working to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat.
Another party MP, Aparajita Sarangi, said India is among the fastest-growing major economies in the world, and the nation is moving ahead to become a five trillion dollar economy. She said this budget focuses on six major sectors, including urban and rural growth, investments, exports, and middle-class relief, among others.
Lavu SriKrishnadevaraya of TDP said, India is among the major, fastest-growing economies in the world. He said the country has achieved the fiscal deficit target of 4.7 percent and is aiming to achieve the fiscal deficit target of 4.4 percent. He lauded the government for bringing down the non-performing assets (NPA) in the banking sector and providing tax relief up to the income of 12 lakh rupees.
Shambhavi of Lok Jan Shakti Party (Ram Vilas) lauded the budget, saying that budgetary allocations of 11 lakh 21 thousand crore rupees have been made for capital expenditure, which will pave the way for the development of the country.
Amraram of CPI(M), Jugal Kishore of BJP, Joba Majhi of JMM, and Sudhar R of Congress, among others, also participated in the discussion. The discussion remained inconclusive.
