'Food for pets is cheaper but costlier for humans'

New Delhi, Feb 28: BJP today said it was ironic that FinanceMinister P Chidambaram had made the pet food meant for cats and dogscheaper but costly for human beings in the 2007-08 Budget.

BJP Spokesmen Vijay Kumar Malhotra and Sushma Swaraj said thegovernment had disappointed the tax payers particularly women andsenior citizens in terms of tax benefits by offering a nominal increasein the taxable income by Rs 10,000 while the expectation was much more.

Mr Malhotra said hotel industry was getting a free run in thebudget while there was nothing to contain the prices and inflationafflicting all sections of society especially the common man,he said.

Mrs Swaraj said Mr Chidambaram throughout his speech wasconstituting committees in the budget and wondered what the ministerwas doing during the rest of the year.

Both Mrs Swaraj and BJP General Secretary Ananth Kumar felt thatthe UPA and Finance Minister had squandered an opportunity to help thefarmers and the common people.

Shiv Sena leaders Manohar Joshi and Anant Geete said the budgetwas most disappointing for common man and farmers. The FM has not eventake note of the ongoing farmers suicides in the states as he has noplans to prevent the deaths. Though there was a mention about Mumbaibeing developed as a world class financial centre, but the budget wassilent on allocations. Such announcements were made in the past andthis announcement should not follow the same course, they said.

UNI