Budget: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the full budget in the last week of July 2024. Before this, she is taking suggestions from the industry, labor organizations etc. in the pre-budget meeting.
In the meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, labor organizations have demanded the formation of Old Pension Scheme (OPS), 8th Pay Commission and increase in tax exemption in the full budget. Apart from this, labor organizations have also demanded to stop the privatization of government companies and stop the New Pension Scheme (NPS).
In the memorandum given by the labour organisations in the meeting held with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday, it has been said that a social security fund should be set up by the government for the workers of the unorganised and agricultural sector, so that they can get a minimum pension of Rs 9,000 per month and other medical, educational benefits etc.
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They have demanded that all the existing vacancies in the central government departments and government companies should be filled. Apart from this, the practice of contract and outsourcing should be stopped.
Budget: GST should be removed from food items and medicines
The workers’ organizations further said that instead of burdening the general public through GST on essential food items and medicines, corporate tax, increase in property tax and inheritance tax should be implemented. Representatives of 12 workers’ organizations including INTUC, AITUC, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC and UTUC participated in the meeting. The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) separately submitted a memorandum with its demand.
They demanded to increase the scope of MNREGA and guarantee 200 days of work to every family. It has also been said to link the work of agriculture and allied sectors with MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act). The workers’ organization has also demanded to increase the criteria of Ayushman Bharat Yojana from Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs three lakh.
