CONFEDERATION PRESS STATEMENT ON BUDGET 2013

28th February, 2013

PRESS STATEMENT

Another pro-rich budget

The Union Budget 2013-14 presented by the Finance Minister Shri P. Chidambaram, today in the Parliament was extremely disappointing to the common working people . No doubt they have not expected any relief from this anti people Government and especially from its Finance Minister, Shri P.Chidambaram.  However, they hoped against hope that the Government will read the discontent that is growing fast amongst the people, manifested admirably in the two day strike of the Indian Working Class on 20th and 21st.  Despite the erosion of the real value of the wages due to the high rate of inflation, the wage earners genuinely thought that they would be provided with some relief by way of an adjustment of the non taxable maximum.  While the give away to the corporate sector continued as the Finance Minister himself has noted in his budget speech in as much as the revenue foregone on direct taxes did register an increase from a lakh crore rupees to Rs. 1.13 lakh Crores in the last year he never felt the need to address the agony of the workers.

Despite the fall in the rate of growth of economy, the Finance Minister has taken pride in the fact that India continues to be one of the fast growing economy.  What type of growth he was visualizing is hard to gauge when the number of people below poverty line had been on the increase year after year.  There had been all-round increase in the prices of all essential commodities including those where the Government had a say in determining it.  The Railway Minister did not increase the fare for passenger trains for he did it before he presented the budget.  The economic growth and recovery would be a mirage so long as the purchasing power of people get depleted.  There had been substantial reduction of workforce in the organized sector due to intensified contractorisation.

 The pronouncement of increased allocation of funds for agriculture, rural development, education etc. is a travesty of truth.  The FM  has made comparison of the present allocation with the revised estimates of the previous year, which in fact was much lesser than 2011-12.  There had been gross underutilization of the allocated funds in respect of most of the welfare scheme of the Govt. last year.  While presenting the economic survey, the Finance Minister assured the country that the days of recession were over and the era of growth will usher in soon, which has only pleased the TNCs and corporate houses in the country. The FM has unambiguously spelt out the continuance of the neo liberal economic path of development with much more fervor in the months  to come.

            To expect that the Govt.  will address the concern of the common people and the working class is foolish, if the Budget proposal is any indication.   But how long the people  are to suffer this agony.  Every decision of this Government being anti-working people and the Budget being a policy pronouncement, we must strive our best to organize movement to oppose the disastrous  policies being pursued by the UPA Government.

K.K.N. Kutty, Secretary General.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY – 08.03.2013

CONFEDERATION CIRCULAR NO.  Conf/ 24 /2013 Dated: 27th FEBRUARY  2013

Dear Comrades,

                 The International Women' day which falls on 8th March is observed throughout the world. The UN theme for the International women's day 2013 is "A promise is a promise; time for action to end violence against women". This year in India, we saw a massive uprising against the atrocities on women immediately after the barbarous sexual assault on student in Delhi.  She later succumbed to the injuries suffered during the assault.

                  Thousands of young men and women, students and common people assembled at Vijay Chowk and elsewhere in Delhi and other parts of the country demanding stringent action against the culprits besides asking the Government to make enactment to protect the women. Empowerment of women is an issue that has to be focused and taken to its logical end. There is no shortcut for that. Raising the conscious level of the society at large through sustained campaign and struggles is the only way out. It is a painstaking path, but there is no other alternative.

            The brutalities against women, attempt to dispossess the women of their right to property is the outcome of the patriarchal system that has taken roots in our country. In our society today women are being portrayed as a commercial commodity an offshoot of the impact of the neo liberal economic policies where except profit nothing matters. The fight for empowerment of women, hence, cannot be separate from the struggle against finance capital driven neo-liberal economic policies.

 We call upon  every affiliate and the State Committee to observe the International Women's Day in a befitting manner by holding Seminar, Convention, meetings etc depending upon the local situation. The programmes may be utilized to drive the theme of the International Women's Day 2013. The apathy of the rulers towards crime against women must be exposed.  We must bring to the public gaze that many in the ruling class have criminal background and are facing charges of assault on women. The convention/seminar/meeting may be preceded by handbills focusing on this issue.

 Kindly send us a detailed report on the observance of the International Women's Day

With greetings,

                                                                                  Yours fraternally,

                                                                                      KKN Kutty, Secretary General