Budget lacks vision and direction: Jaya

Chennai, Mar 29 (UNI) AIADMK General Secretary and opposition leader J Jayalalitha today said the budget announced by the ruling DMK government for 2007-2008 lacked vision and direction.

In a statement here, she expressed disappointment and said 'there is nothing in this budget for long term development of the state and nothing for raising the standard of living of the common people'.

She said ''The DMK government is hoodwinking the people by misleading them to believe that the budget has tried to provide something for all sections of society''.

''In reality every sector of the economy and every section of society has only been given a raw deal in this budget'', she added.

While justifying her absence in the Assembly during the budget presentation, she said, ''The conduct of proceedings in the Assembly during the budget session shows very clearly that as usual, I will not be given a proper opportunity to speak and I will be denied the right of freely putting my view on record.'' On the welfare of the farming community, she questioned does the government think that they do not owe, and need not own any responsibility for the fate of the majority of farmers of Tamil Nadu, who do not have access to cooperative credit linkages?'.

''The government should come out with a white paper on the fresh loans sanctioned to farmers in the current year, especially the number of farmers whose loans have been waived and given fresh crop loans; the financial status of the district cooperative central banks and the primary agricultural cooperative banks?,'' she asked.

While pointing out the government's scheme to control the price rise of essential commodities like pulses and edible oil by proposing to distribute them through the fair shops, she said, ''As no subsidy is involved in this, the prices of these items cannot be less than the prices in the open market.'' MORE UNI