New Delhi, February 11 Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday accused the government of favouring corporations in the 2026-27 Budget and claimed that it neglects common citizens of India and the country's farmers.
Participating in the debate on the 2026-27 Budget, V Sivadasan of the CPI (M) claimed that the Budget was not for the common citizens but only favours corporations.
"This Budget is not for the people. This Budget is only for the interest of the corporations. We need more educational institutions. We need more healthcare facilities. We need more railway transportation facilities," he said.
He claimed that the wages of ASHA mid-day meal workers have not been raised since the last eight years and they are still earning meagre wages, calling it a "shame" for any civilized society.
The CPI(M) member claimed that the pensions of differently abled, senior citizens, and widows are not growing since several years.
He claimed that there are 2.5 lakh vacant posts in the Railways, thousands of vacant posts in the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), and that the Centre has reduced the number of employees from the SC/ST communities in government and public sector firms.
He said the number of scholarships and fellowships has been reduced.
Sivadasan further claimed that 89,000 public schools have been shut down in this country under the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The corporations are getting unethical support from the government, he alleged.
Ramji Lal Suman of the Samajwadi Party, while referring to the Indo-US trade deal, alleged that "PM Modi surrendered in front of America", calling the agreement one-sided and not a deal.
"You are selling the nation and its prestige," he said.
The Samajwadi Party member called the Budget "anti-people" and one that favours the rich.
"This is a budget prepared by Modi's friends Adani and Ambani, not for the farmers," the SP member alleged.
Dinesh Sharma, who was in the Chair at the time, asked Suman to exercise restraint in his words.
Suman further demanded that farmers' loans be waived off and claimed that the condition of healthcare facilities in the nation is poor.
Debashish Samantaray of BJD claimed that Odisha has been neglected in the Budget.
"This Budget claims to be progressive and forward-looking, but for me, it is old wine in a new bottle," he said.
The BJD MP said that more than 14 districts of Odisha lack proper rail connectivity even after 75 years of Independence, affecting around 1.6 crore people.
He said that the metro project for Odisha has been shelved while the Centre has announced metro connectivity for other states.
He placed BJD and its leader Naveen Patnaik's demand for special category status to Odisha, apart from "fair revision of coal and mineral royalties" and inclusion of the state in national freight rail corridors.
K R Suresh Reddy of BRS, referring to the Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas slogan, Reddy claimed that as far as education is concerned, children belonging to all minority communities have been left out of this Budget.
He claimed that the outlay for scholarships given to pre-metric and post-metric level students has remained largely unutilised in the last two years.
Ramji of BSP said the Budget failed to make the common people and the stock markets happy.
He suggested that the government should also announce the building of new universities, schools and colleges based on a state's population.
Ramji requested that the funds meant for SC/STs must not be diverted elsewhere.
Sanjay Seth of the BJP outlined the government's policy initiatives and reforms undertaken over the last decade.
He said the Budget has accorded special priority to senior citizens and other segments of the society, terming it farsighted in approach.
