Union Budget: Chidambaram accuses Sitharaman of copying ideas from Congress manifesto

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, who served as India's finance minister in former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's cabinet has accused Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of copying ideas from the Congress party's manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Shortly after Sitharaman delivered her Budget 2024 speech, Chidambaram took to social media to criticise the government's announcements for the fiscal year 2024-25.

"I am glad to know that the Hon'ble FM has read the Congress Manifesto LS 2024 after the election results," the former finance ministerwrote in a post onX.

"I am happy she has virtually adopted the Employment-linked incentive (ELI) outlined on page 30 of the Congress Manifesto. I am also happy that she has introduced the Apprenticeship scheme along with an allowance to every apprentice spelt out on page 11 of the Congress Manifesto."

Chidambaram noted that the abolition of the Angel Tax, a move mentioned in the Congress manifesto and advocated forby the party for years, was included in the Budget.

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On Tuesday (July 23), Sitharaman presented the Budget for 2024-25, her seventh consecutive Budget presentation, following which she surpassed the record set byformer PM, Morarji Desai. This Budget is the first during the third term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

The Budget outlined nine priorities aimed at generating ample opportunities, including productivity and resilience in agriculture, employment and skilling, inclusive human resource development and social justice, manufacturing and service, urban development, energy security, infrastructure, innovation, research and development, and next-generation reforms.

Significant announcements were made for the states of Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, the states ruled by PM Modi's allies. The announcements for these states focused on infrastructure development and special financial support.

The Budget also included the abolition of the angel tax for all classes of investors in startups.

(With inputs from agencies)