The Opposition BJP assailed Government’s economic policies saying these had created huge economic disparities and were threatening livelihood of common man.
Initiating a discussion on Appropriation Bills that sought Parliament’s nod for additional spending of Rs 33,290.87 crore, Ramdas Agarwal (BJP) said while the economy was growing at nine per cent and there was ?flood? of foreign funds, the wealth was increasingly being confined in a few hands.
The economic resurgence had left majority of the population untouched and had increased poverty, he said adding “common man has not benefited from the economic boom”.
The member said unemployment and poverty were the mother of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East and the naxal movement in some states and the present day economic policies were creating similar situations elsewhere in the country.
The Government in 2004-05 gave concessions to industry worth Rs 158,661 crore, he said.
But, prices of wheat, rise, vegetables and edible oil had risen by 50-70 per cent, Agarwal said.
The BJP member assailed entry of big corporate houses in retail business saying the move threatened livelihood of small traders.
“I will like to warn government that small traders are being put to hardship as big retailers capture their trade.”
Big corporate houses like Reliance have the world as their market and they should not get into “selling vegetables”, the member said.
Agarwal flayed forward trading saying it encouraged speculation and volatility in stock, bullion and commodity market that was being exploited by market players to the disadvantage of commoners.