ParliamenPosted at: Mar 24 2021 4:55PM Unemployment rate climbing up not because of Covid but since demonetization: DMK
New Delhi, Mar 24 (UNI) The DMK Member TKS Elangovan, while speaking on the Finance Bill 2021, said that unemployment rate has not worsened because of the Covid 19 but it has been shooting up since the demonetization.
"Since 2014, there has been a consistent claim by the government that things will get better next year. Even before COVID-19, we were inflicted by two diseases- demonetisation and the GST”, he said.
Describing the simple logic that if the input cost comes down, the cost of the product will go down but the cost of crude oil has gone down whereas the fuel bill has gone up, Mr Elangovan said, "The DMK's economic policy is to tap the rich and pat the poor. But this Government's policy is the exact opposite. They pat the rich and tap the poor. The top 10 percent are getting richer because of the support from the government. What happened to PM CARE fund? In Tamil Nadu, it is called "PM Doesn't Care Fund".
YSR Congress lawmaker Vijay Sai Reddy said that the Finance Minister has very intelligently put it that senior citizens above 75 years who have income only through pension are exempted. “Exempted from what? Not the tax. But only filing the returns. I urge the government to exempt this section."
Criticising the Government's plan to bring in a faceless income tax department where all disputes are to be settled virtually, he said that this needed to be reconsidered because only through personal hearings can the applicant's side be heard.
Attacking the Government on disinvestment policy, Mr Reddy said that 31 PSUs have got the Cabinet's approval for privatisation including Vizag Steel Plant.
“It is very unfortunate that the Government has gone for privatising such excellent PSUs. This is no way of earning money. The Vizag Steel Plant was making profit till 2015”, Mr Reddy said, adding that the Finance MInister is the daughter-in-law of Andhra Pradesh, hence he urged her to reconsider privatisation of Vizag Steel Plant. This is equivalent of selling gold of the State, he added.
"BJP claims to be the sole torchbearer of Hinduism. After the GST regime, the Thirumala Tirupati Devasthanam has to give Rs 111 crore GST, so this religious place should be exempted from the GST," Mr Reddy concluded.
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