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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Budget 2013: CPI(M) Slams Tax 'Concessions' to the Rich

Budget 2013: CPI(M) Slams Tax 'Concessions' to the Rich

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published Published on Mar 1, 2013   modified Modified on Mar 1, 2013
-Outlook

The CPI(M) today castigated the government for foregoing over Rs 5.73 lakh crore as tax revenues by granting tax concessions to the rich, saying the amount was Rs 53,000 crore more than the fiscal deficit.

"The budget proposals will further enrich the rich and impoverish the poor," senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury told reporters while reacting to the 2013-14 Budget.

Quoting data presented in the budget, he said the aggregated revenue foregone from central taxes or the tax that has not been collected in 2012-13 was Rs 5.73 lakh crore as against Rs 5.33 lakh crore in 2011-12. The fiscal deficit stood at Rs 5.20 lakh crore.

"So, the tax not collected, mainly from the rich, is Rs 53,000 crore more than the fiscal deficit. So the government is only subsidising the rich and the corporates," he said.

On the ten per cent surcharge on tax paid by the 'super-rich', he said "the concessions granted to them are much more than the revenue to be earned from this surcharge."

In most sectors, the revised estimates were less than the budget estimates, implying that the amount spent on these crucial sectors were less than the allocation, Yechury said.

The revised estimates of tax revenue in 2012-13 were incorporated in the budget, showing that revenues from income tax rose by 20 per cent, from corporate tax by 17 per cent, excise duty by 15 per cent and service tax by 36 per cent.

"This is an absolutely unrealistic manner" in which the budget has been calculated at a time when there was an economic slowdown, Yechury said, adding there was a major shortfall in revenue collection in the last fiscal.

"From where is he (Finance Minister P Chidambaram) expecting high revenues.... In the name of fiscal consolidation, we can see a further squeeze in expenditure and a severe crunch on the people.... Very soon we will see supplementary grants being brought before Parliament."

Referring to the subsidy on food, Yechury said "a big brouhaha" was made on the food security law but the actual allocation showed an increase of only Rs 5,000 crore which is "grossly insufficient".

"The storage of foodgrains in FCI godowns, to keep the foodgrains which are not distributed to the poor, this alone costs Rs 17,000 crore annually. So, Rs 5,000 crore is a mere pittance," the CPI(M) leader said.

Maintaining that the Left parties have been demanding universalisation of public distribution system, he said "even if limited food security is introduced, it will cost the exchequer an estimated Rs 80,000 crore."

Replying to questions on attracting investments, Yechury said "mere increase in investments will not lead to growth because what is produced in the market has to be bought by the people, who don't have the purchasing power.

"Hence, so much of investible funds go into speculative market, real estate and gold. There is no productive investment as there is no market to sustain."

Asked about women's branches in some banks, he said "tokenism is good. But will this move generate additional revenue? If you don't allocate for these sections, such announcements will remain slogans only."

Outlook, 28 February, 2013, http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=791171


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