No more excuses as you've been in power for 6 years: Sibal

New Delhi, Feb 10 Initiating the debate on the general budget in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Congress leader Kapil Sibal said there are no more excuses as you (BJP) have been in power for 6 years now. He alleged that the government was giving all the assets to four-five big boys.

Sibal said without naming anybody, "Classic case of crony capitalism, one big boy has footprint everywhere."

He alleged that the BJP is doing vote bank politics as Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the budget the proposed construction of 8,500 kilometres of highways by March 2022. With the focus on the Assembly poll-bound states, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam got a major chunk of the proposed new highway projects.

In Assam, where the BJP is seeking a second consecutive term, Sitharaman proposed 1,300 km of highways that will be constructed in the next three years.

The Congress leader also took critical stock of AtmaNirbhar Bharat and asked, "Have SC, ST minorities, MSME and small industries become self reliant."

The Congress leader said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself said that 86 percent farmers are small, "are they sitting at Delhi borders as self reliant?" he asked.

Sibal charged that in the last five years the mismanagement of the economy is going on.

He said the current year's disinvestment target was not met, only 15 percent was achieved.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that the government will privatise two public sector banks other than IDBI Bank. One general insurance company will also be privatised in the coming fiscal, the disinvestment target for the current fiscal is Rs 2.10 lakh crore while the revenue collected through disinvestment is only Rs 19,499 crore, he added.

The Congress leader said there is no focus on checking job losses. In the Covid-19 pandemic 120 million jobs were lost but the allocation for MNREGA has been reduced.

There is no relief to the telecom sector which is reeling under a debt of Rs 8.55 lakh crore. He said that the funds for the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi have been cut by Rs 10000 crore.

( With inputs from IANS )