CONFEDERATION PRESS
STATEMENT ON BUDGET 2013
28th February, 2013
PRESS
STATEMENT
Another
pro-rich budget
The Union Budget 2013-14
presented by the Finance Minister Shri P. Chidambaram, today in the Parliament
was extremely disappointing to the common working people . No doubt they have
not expected any relief from this anti people Government and especially from
its Finance Minister, Shri P.Chidambaram.
However, they hoped against hope that the Government will read the
discontent that is growing fast amongst the people, manifested admirably in the
two day strike of the Indian Working Class on 20th and 21st. Despite the erosion of the real value of the
wages due to the high rate of inflation, the wage earners genuinely thought
that they would be provided with some relief by way of an adjustment of the non
taxable maximum. While the give away to
the corporate sector continued as the Finance Minister himself has noted in his
budget speech in as much as the revenue foregone on direct taxes did register
an increase from a lakh crore rupees to Rs. 1.13 lakh Crores in the last year
he never felt the need to address the agony of the workers.
Despite the fall in the
rate of growth of economy, the Finance Minister has taken pride in the fact
that India continues to be one of the fast growing economy. What type of growth he was visualizing is
hard to gauge when the number of people below poverty line had been on the
increase year after year. There had been
all-round increase in the prices of all essential commodities including those
where the Government had a say in determining it. The Railway Minister did not increase the
fare for passenger trains for he did it before he presented the budget. The economic growth and recovery would be a
mirage so long as the purchasing power of people get depleted. There had been substantial reduction of
workforce in the organized sector due to intensified contractorisation.
The pronouncement of increased allocation of
funds for agriculture, rural development, education etc. is a travesty of
truth. The FM has made comparison of the present allocation
with the revised estimates of the previous year, which in fact was much lesser
than 2011-12. There had been gross
underutilization of the allocated funds in respect of most of the welfare
scheme of the Govt. last year. While
presenting the economic survey, the Finance Minister assured the country that
the days of recession were over and the era of growth will usher in soon, which
has only pleased the TNCs and corporate houses in the country. The FM has
unambiguously spelt out the continuance of the neo liberal economic path of
development with much more fervor in the months
to come.
To
expect that the Govt. will address the
concern of the common people and the working class is foolish, if the Budget
proposal is any indication. But how
long the people are to suffer this agony. Every decision of this Government being
anti-working people and the Budget being a policy pronouncement, we must strive
our best to organize movement to oppose the disastrous policies being pursued by the UPA Government.
K.K.N. Kutty, Secretary
General.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY – 08.03.2013
CONFEDERATION CIRCULAR NO. Conf/ 24 /2013 Dated: 27th FEBRUARY 2013
Dear
Comrades,
The
International Women' day which falls on 8th March is observed throughout the
world. The UN theme for the International women's day 2013 is "A promise
is a promise; time for action to end violence against women". This year in
India, we saw a massive uprising against the atrocities on women immediately
after the barbarous sexual assault on student in Delhi. She later succumbed to the injuries suffered
during the assault.
Thousands of young men and women, students and common people assembled
at Vijay Chowk and elsewhere in Delhi and other parts of the country demanding
stringent action against the culprits besides asking the Government to make
enactment to protect the women. Empowerment of women is an issue that has to be
focused and taken to its logical end. There is no shortcut for that. Raising
the conscious level of the society at large through sustained campaign and
struggles is the only way out. It is a painstaking path, but there is no other
alternative.
The brutalities against women, attempt to dispossess the
women of their right to property is the outcome of the patriarchal system that
has taken roots in our country. In our society today women are being portrayed
as a commercial commodity an offshoot of the impact of the neo liberal economic
policies where except profit nothing matters. The fight for empowerment of
women, hence, cannot be separate from the struggle against finance capital
driven neo-liberal economic policies.
We call upon
every affiliate and the State Committee to observe the International
Women's Day in a befitting manner by holding Seminar, Convention, meetings etc
depending upon the local situation. The programmes may be utilized to drive the
theme of the International Women's Day 2013. The apathy of the rulers towards
crime against women must be exposed. We
must bring to the public gaze that many in the ruling class have criminal
background and are facing charges of assault on women. The
convention/seminar/meeting may be preceded by handbills focusing on this issue.
Kindly send us a detailed
report on the observance of the International Women's Day
With
greetings,
Yours fraternally,
KKN Kutty, Secretary General
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