NDA slashed social sector spending by over Rs 1.75 cr: Congress

Dubbing the BJP-led NDA rule at the Centre as anti-poor and regressive, the Congress on Wednesday accused it of demolishing inclusive and equitable development and slashing social sector spending by a whopping Rs 1,75,122 crore as it was keen to please capitalists in a year.

“Narendra Modi government, which is set to complete one year, is demolishing the edifice of inclusive and equitable development in its quest to appease a few crony capitalists and trading partners,” senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Jitendra Singh told reporters. Claiming that the Modi government has slashed social sector spending by Rs 1,75,122 crore in one year alone, Singh said while there was Rs 66,222 crore cut in grants on social sector scheme, Rs 5,900 crore was cut by closing down the Backward Regions Grant Fund.

Similarly, Rs 1,03,000 crore cut was effected by not implementing the Food Security Programme aimed at 67 <g data-gr-id="14">per cent</g> of the country’s population, he claimed. “Shockingly, these cuts have been <g data-gr-id="16">unabatedly</g> applied to areas which are an integral DNA of India’s intrinsic fabric such as women and child development, agriculture, irrigation, <g data-gr-id="17">panchayati</g> raj, education, health, housing, welfare of SCs and STs and others,” the Congress leader said.