Appropriation Bill Debate: Opposition Raises Questions Over Budget Figures' Credibility

In the Rajya Sabha, the opposition on Monday questioned the credibility of the budget numbers presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and accused the government of failing to check the decline in the value of the rupee and rising prices. During a discussion in the House on the Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2026 related to demands for grants for the budget 2026-27, the opposition said that the budget does not have a clear plan to increase employment and the government has failed to make concrete arrangements for the supply of essential items like fuel and fertilizers.

Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary moved the Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2026 for consideration and return to the Lok Sabha in the same form after lunch. The discussion on the bill, which is a money bill, is only a formality in the Rajya Sabha.

Initiating the discussion on the proposal, Congress member Neeraj Dangi raised the issue of presenting the second installment of supplementary demands for grants of Rs 2.81 lakh crore for 2025-26 after presenting the budget for 2026-27 and said that the Finance Minister, while presenting the budget, keeps the expenditure proposals for important heads low so that the fiscal situation can be shown to be strong by underestimating the deficit.

He said that the rupee is continuously depreciating, which is increasing the import cost of essential items, leading to a threat of inflation, and the expenses of students going abroad for education are also increasing. The imported materials for construction have also become expensive. This is having a complete impact on the common people and the government's macroeconomic management appears to be weak.

Mr. Dangi, referring to the continuous increase in gold prices, said that this metal, which is associated with the culture of the people of India, has gone out of the reach of the common people. He suggested that the government and the RBI should intervene to control the situation and reduce import duties and goods and services tax (GST) so that the public can be saved from the burden.

The Congress member said that the International Monetary Fund has placed India's accounting in 'Grade C' in terms of standards, which is second only to China.

Alleging a shortage of cooking gas and potash and phosphorus fertilizers, Mr. Dangi said that the LNG has also become expensive due to the disruption of ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in West Asia, which has also increased the prices of fertilizers. He said that the government is talking about no shortage in the supply of LPG, but the whole country is standing in line for gas. People have gone back to the era of using wood for cooking.

He said that there is no roadmap in the budget to increase employment opportunities, it is an anti-people budget.

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda said that before discussing the supply of imported items like gas and petroleum, one should keep in mind the war-like situation in the Gulf region. He reminded the opposition of the time of the Bangladesh war when there was a huge increase in the prices of kerosene and sugar, and he had participated in the discussion on this in the Karnataka Assembly.

Expressing regret over the performance of the Congress government in Karnataka, Mr. Deve Gowda strongly appealed to the central government to help Karnataka, take forward the work of developing seven industrial complexes there, and revive the Bhadravati Steel Plant.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Madan Rathore accused the opposition of spreading unfounded fears about gas shortage. He said that the opposition speaks with its eyes closed to the rapid progress of the Indian economy over the last ten years. The opposition should not misuse the time of the House by making baseless statements.