Post-budget process is budget review, not budget debate
The budget presentation has become only a formality while its debate is a farce. Just like previous budgets, all kinds of fancy claims and assurances have been made calling this a development oriented budget, etc.
Anything can be said as there is no accountability. What actually happens after will be completely different. Budget proposals submitted giving so much hope will be ignored.
We are made to believe that when the tax on a product is increased, automatically the production will develop and the country will prosper.
If the real motive was to develop various sectors, then the budget is not the first step. The areas of development should be first identified and declared. Give publicity, educate the people. The role that the Government, the private sector and the public will undertake should be formulated. How the funding is to be met, incentives, Government assistance all should be made public. It is when the produce comes to the market that the imports should be controlled, for which increasing the taxes, is only one way.
In spite of widespread opposition, the government is offering lavish tax concessions to establish casinos which could ruin the country. Of course, that is done with questionable ulterior motives. Why not offer such inducements for essential development activities. Then the developer will find his own ways of funding.
The budget, in short, is an agenda only to extract the maximum from the poor and the middle class, to meet the losses due to corruption, bad management and inducements. The rich are always safe or even better off. The so-called debate on the budget is really not a debate. Ministers, who were not involved in the preparation of the Budget, talk on the aspirations of it.
What should really take place is a critical analysis of the proposals. Hence it should be called a Budget Review.
A debate should essentially be carried out on the performance of the now forgotten Previous Budget (2013). To what extent the proposals and the promises were fulfilled or failed. Were the proposed targets and fiscal estimates achieved? It should be made an occasion for the Government to account for its actions during the previous Fiscal Year. Now is the right time, I hope the joint opposition will urgently do the needful and the media give the necessary backup by creating public opinion.
A. Hassan
Kandy