No strategic idea, anything concrete in Union Budget: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said there was no strategic idea or anything concrete in the Union Budget and it described the "hollow" approach of the government that was "all talk and nothing happening". Talking to reporters outside Parliament soon after the presentation of the budget, he described it as repetitive, saying the budget does not address the main issue of unemployment confronting the country's youth and the poor state of the economy.

"The main issues confronting this country today are unemployment and the situation as far as the economy is concerned. I did not see any concrete idea, any strategic idea that would help our youngsters get jobs. I saw a lot of tactical stuff, redundant things, I did not see any central idea," he told reporters. "The speech was over 2.5 hours long and I did not find any strategic thing in it. The main issue is employment and economy. There is redundancy and income tax has been complicated instead.

"The government's approach is visible in this budget. It did not have anything in it. It was hollow," he said. Gandhi said the Union Budget describes the government quite well, which is of "all-talking" and nothing concrete.

"It was more than 2 hours and 45 minutes (long). A lot of repetition, a lot of rambling, nothing concrete. So it is the mindset of the government - all talk, all talk, all talk, nothing happening. But, the country is, of course, is suffering," he said. "Our youth want jobs. Instead, they got the longest budget speech in parliamentary history that said absolutely nothing of consequence. PM & FM both looked like they have absolutely no clue what to do next," Gandhi tweeted.

Addressing youth in universities and colleges directly, he said, "You know exactly what is going on. You know that you don't have a future, as far as jobs are concerned. And, nothing happened here to help you." The Congress leader said the budget was very long and it was probably the longest speech ever which saw tactical stuff but no central idea.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced cuts in personal income tax, extended tax benefits for affordable housing and gave relief to companies on payment of dividends in the Union Budget for 2020-21 as the government looked to boost consumption to bring the economy out of the worst slowdown in 11 years. The minister proposed raising customs duty on a variety of products ranging from tableware and kitchenware, electrical appliances to footwear, furniture, stationery and toys to give a level playing field to domestic companies and boost 'Make in India'.

Offering an optional lower rate of income tax to individuals, Sitharaman in her Budget for 2020-21 proposed new tax slabs of 15 percent and 25 percent in addition to the existing 10 percent, 20 percent, and 30 percent. The new I-T slabs would be for individuals not availing certain specified deductions or exemptions.