Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) submitted the Pre-Budget consultation paper to the Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday (December 18). It objected to the absence of finance minister in the pre-budget consultation meeting.
The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh demanded that the Union government should increase the Income Tax exemption limit to INR 10 lakhs. It also demanded that the government should bring in legislation for various welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat, Shrama Yogi Maandhan Yojana, to “provide permanent benefits”.
It submitted the Pre-Budget consultation paper to the Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday (December 18).
Since Shri Narendra Modi took charge as prime minister in 2014, he has been focusing on making India a manufacturing hub. On December 13, when PM Modi inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath Dham project in Varanasi, he explained how going ‘Vocal for Local’ would enhance the international prestige of the country.
In its submission, the BMS requested the finance minister “to support and strengthen MSME and Industrial Clusters at all district level which is labour intensive sector in rural areas”.
Emphasising the need for MGNREGA in rural areas, it said the scheme is “most needed in rural area in a crisis period”. It demanded that “to avoid spreading of poverty, provide more support to MGNREGA by extending the scheme for 200 days per family”.
There are large numbers of unorganised migrant workers in the cities. For their welfare, the BMS said the government should bring an Urban Employment programme.
The Union government has initiated the process for strategic disinvestment in some public sector units. Opposing the move, the BMS said “strategic sale of PSUs can not be accepted”. It advised the government to work on revitalisation plan for sick PSUs.
To improve the work culture in the Public Sector Units, it advised the government to formulate a dedicated “business management cadre similar to IAS, IPS, and IFS, etc to manage PSUs instead of deputing erring officers as MDs.”
Drawing on the experience of the Covid-19, it demanded that the EPS 95 pension amount be increased to INR 5000. The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) this week had backed rights of the beedi workers and had asked the Union government not to club it with cigarettes.
In its submission, the BMS demanded a separate law for beedi and demanded the inclusion of beedi companies in “PF, ESI & GST”. The SJM and the BMS have been opposing the proposed amendments to the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA).
Demanding regularisation of the contract workers, it said the Union government should organise more brainstorming sessions with central trade unions on economic policies.
