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Almost echoing the state CPM’s aim of going all out in the elections after a series of setbacks in popular support, Dasgupta termed his Budget as “designed for the common man”. The handouts ranged from a promise to recruit an extra 10,000 schoolteachers to a Rs 100-crore scheme to supply cooked meals to poor people who are too weak to get work.
At the same time, he introduced a few dark clouds on Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s vision of the “changing face of Bengal” with a road tax that will hit Bhattacharjee's pet project, Tata Motors’ Nano small car, and also all new cars sold in the state. Road tax will go up by Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 depending on a set of listed factors and is expected to fetch Rs 15 crore. “Even capitalists admit that the development of industry is reflected in tax collections,” Dasgupta told reporters after tabling the Budget in the Assembly on Monday.
On the farm-to-table retail front, Bhattacharjee has welcomed private Indian capital, specifically Mukesh Ambani's farm-to-table retail business, which has a Rs 25,000 crore national investment plan.
To this, Dasgupta proposed a "social business alternative": a new corporation with Rs 100 crore as government equity for "procurement and supply of commodities" at fair price shops through self-help groups (SHGs).
"This is not my personal Budget," he told reporters when asked how much the chief minister's vision had contributed to the Budget.
"I discussed the proposals at length with the chief minister," he said.
The SHGs will procure the commodities directly from the growers and sell it through a chain of retail outlets from the state level to the block level. Dasgupta's attempt at "social business" comes in the backdrop of the failure of two handloom marketing cooperatives and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's invitation to private Indian capital in the sector.
Terming it a "common man's Budget", Dasgupta denied the proposals were aimed at the elections. Panchayat elections are scheduled for May this year. "We have one election or the other every year," he said.
At the same time, Dasgupta proposed an additional resource mobilisation of only Rs 75 crore against Rs 150 crore last year.
Of this amount, Rs 30 crore is expected to come from foreign liquor, on which the excise will now be levied on the maximum retail price (MRP) minus an abatement of 65 per cent, rather than the alcohol content as at present.
He expects to net another Rs 30 crore from a one-time settlement of sales tax diputes.
Dasgupta also refused to comment on the possible impact of the 6th Central Pay Commission on his Budget figures. Last time, when the state had followed the 5th Pay Commission, it took the years to come out of financial crisis.
The Vote Pie
* Government to double the number of people covered by various dole schemes, from 7.5 lakh to 15 lakh. The dole ranges from payments to the old and widows to freedom fighters and those who took part in democratic movements.
* Extension of provident fund scheme for unorganised workers to 23 additional sectors from the present 21 sectors. Now, the PF will cover maid servants, among others.
* Rs 100-crore programme to supply cooked food to the poorest of the poor who are physically so weak that they cannot participate in employment generation programmes. Food to be prepared by self-help groups of village women.
* Recruitment of an additional 10,000 school teachers. (School teachers form the backbone of the CPM’s election machinery.)
* Stipend of education and health workers increased by Rs 500 a month.
* Funds for development of general and social infrastructure in areas where there is a concentration of minority population. Recruitment of 1,000 additional teachers for madrasas.
* Workers of closed units and tea gardens, who have been getting a monthly allowance of Rs 750, will get the allowance for up to one year even after their unit has reopened.
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