New Delhi: The 2-week long budget session of Parliament kicked off on Thursday with President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to its joint sitting, focusing on achievements of the Modi government in the last four-and-a-half years. However, he refrained from making the expected announcements on possible concessions, which could reap BJP a rich electoral harvest three months down the line. These concessions are, however, not ruled out in the interim budget to be presented on Friday by interim finance minister Piyush Goyal.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the Presidential address for its lack of direction. The Congress tried to nail the government on some of its claims. For instance, the president had admitted that only 1 crore youth had benefited from the government’s skill development scheme which was meant to help 10 crore people.
“It is an admission that the government failed in providing skill development to 90% of the youth whose skills it had promised to enhance,” Sharma told a Press conference here. He slammed the government for dropping the economic survey supposed to be tabled in Parliament on Thursday, just because the economy is in a bad shape.
‘‘The President spoke of the government’s achievements, contrary to the fact that it has failed on every front, be it creation of jobs, reducing poverty, developing 100 smart cities and what not,” Sharma said. ‘‘How cleverly the government has omitted from the President’s address the fact that the investment in industry has fallen by 7% during its tenure,’’ he said.
Sharma also wondered why the President had showered praise on the “Make in India” scheme.
He said this “make in India” scheme was working in reverse gear. “Under Make in India, the (Rafale) fighter jets, which were to be made in India, have not been made, technology transfer has stopped.’’ Prime Minister Modi had instead promoted “Make in France” by letting the French company supply the aircraft completely built in France. “If the president’s speech is to be believed, everything has been done in the country. Only a spacecraft is now required,” Sharma taunted.