Budget 2024: Sitharaman’s Unlikely ‘Congress Remix’!!
In a twist of political déjà vu, the Union Budget for 2024-25 seems to have borrowed a page from the congress party’s playbook, sparking a bit of political rivalry. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled a slew of measures designed to tackle unemployment and boost investment, many of which look strikingly similar to proposals from Congress’s 2024 manifesto.
Here’s the scoop: The budget promises internships with top companies for 1 crore youth, complete with a monthly allowance and a one-time assistance payout. The catch? Companies will need to dig into their CSR funds to cover some costs. It’s a nice nod to Congress's idea of a “Right to Apprenticeship Act,” which also aimed to boost employment through structured apprenticeships.
In another plot twist, Sitharaman also announced the abolition of the Angel Tax—a move that was right out of the congress manifesto. This tax, which had been a thorn in the side of many start-ups, is now being scrapped to encourage investment and support innovation.
Former finance minister and congress MP p. chidambaram couldn’t resist a little jab, expressing his delight that the Finance minister had evidently read their manifesto. He even hinted that she could have borrowed more ideas. Meanwhile, congress MP jairam ramesh pointed out the similarities between the budget’s internship scheme and their own proposed program, cheekily calling it “Pehli Naukri Pakki.”
The irony? Just a few months ago, Sitharaman had dismissed Congress’s manifesto promises as “un-implementable” and potentially budget-busting. Now, it seems the government has taken some of those very ideas for a spin, making for a rather amusing episode in political one-upmanship.
Here’s the scoop: The budget promises internships with top companies for 1 crore youth, complete with a monthly allowance and a one-time assistance payout. The catch? Companies will need to dig into their CSR funds to cover some costs. It’s a nice nod to Congress's idea of a “Right to Apprenticeship Act,” which also aimed to boost employment through structured apprenticeships.
In another plot twist, Sitharaman also announced the abolition of the Angel Tax—a move that was right out of the congress manifesto. This tax, which had been a thorn in the side of many start-ups, is now being scrapped to encourage investment and support innovation.
Former finance minister and congress MP p. chidambaram couldn’t resist a little jab, expressing his delight that the Finance minister had evidently read their manifesto. He even hinted that she could have borrowed more ideas. Meanwhile, congress MP jairam ramesh pointed out the similarities between the budget’s internship scheme and their own proposed program, cheekily calling it “Pehli Naukri Pakki.”
The irony? Just a few months ago, Sitharaman had dismissed Congress’s manifesto promises as “un-implementable” and potentially budget-busting. Now, it seems the government has taken some of those very ideas for a spin, making for a rather amusing episode in political one-upmanship.