The general budget has again proved to be full of rhetoric of inclusive growth while in terms of concrete outlay there is nothing that sets it apart from the anti-student and anti-people framework, which has become the feature of the current UPA government. While economic survey claimed that the impact of economic recession no longer exists, Finance Minister’s speech signaled that the impact is here to stay in the form of austerity measures and subsidy cuts. The excessive zeal to satisfy the foreign capital was clearly seen in the manner in which FDI and FIIs were shown as indispensable for country’s future. The hollow claim of building a sustainable future for the youth of the country hardly found any reflection in the actual budgetary allocation.
Finance Minister boasted of having increased the allocation to the Ministry of Human Resource Development by 17% over the RE of the current year, while the reality is that RE of the current year itself had seen a sharp cut amidst the austerity drive of the central government. Further, the total allocation of 79451 crore is a meager 4.77 % of the total budget expenditure, which is way short of the 10% mark.
Though Mr. Chidambaram claimed that the Right to Education is very much in place, the financial ambiguities continue to remain. The non-committal attitude of the central government continues to throttle a robust legislation such as RTE.
5.284 crore has been allocated for the scholarships to the students belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, other Backward classes and Minorities, and Girl children; which is even less than the budgetary allocation made last year. Chidambaram smartly tried to paint a rosy picture by showing comparisons with the RE of the current year.
The continuous hike in the price of cooking gas cylinders has adversely affected the mid-day meal schemes, as well the mess bills in the hostels. A cushion should have been provided in the budget to safeguard the pockets of the students. Further, no concrete outlays have been made for the women’s safety in the campuses.
Students of the country have to see the actual scheme of things behind this smoke screen of empty rhetoric and hollow claims. The adverse policy regime is going to impact the daily lives of the students across the country, and this budget will only worsen the situation. CEC calls all its units to protest against this anti-student budget and to further intervene in the daily lives of the students, channelizing their anger into movement against the current policy framework.
