Thursday, March 9 2006 18:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Left and other supporting parties of the UPA coalition today (Mar 09 2006) criticised the government in Lok Sabha for not making enough provisions in the budget to benefit farmers and asked it to announce measures to tax the rich and the corporate sector.

The BJP-led Opposition also expressed similar concerns about farmers and sought tax reliefs for them.

Participating in a debate on the General Budget, P Satheedevi (CPI-M) asked the Finance Minister to initiate measures to tax the corporates and announce steps for internal resource mobilisation.

Seeking special package for widows of farmers of Kerala, who had committed suicide due to debt burden, she said the budget had no word on implementing any recommendation of the M S Swaminathan Commission on farmers, including reducing the interest rates on farm loans and other steps to boost agriculture productivity.

Raising similar concerns about farmers, Avinash Rai Khanna (BJP) requested the government to stop import of wheat and ensure that farmers got appropriate remuneration for their produce and were provided with proper seeds and fertilisers.

He urged the Finance Minister to exempt farmers from the service tax imposed on them when they borrow money from commission agents.

Khanna said the budget did not address needs of the mentally challenged as also the issue of female foeticide.

Mohan Singh (SP) said though launch of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme was a commendable step, more steps should be taken to counter unemployment and poverty.