Chhattisgarh :-The Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha, affiliated to the All India Kisan Sabha, has said that on the basis of the economic survey of the year 2022-23 presented in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly yesterday, it can be said that the claims of development are hollow and the reality is that the unemployment, economic inequality and indebtedness have increased in the state, which is a dangerous sign for the health of the general public of the state.
In a statement released here today, Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha President Sanjay Parate and General Secretary Rishi Gupta said that according to the government figures, 73% of the state’s population is living below the poverty line. In such a situation, the increase in GDP and per capita income clearly means that income inequality has increased and the poor are deprived of an average increase of 11% in income. The reality is that the workers of the unorganized sector, including the scheme workers, are deprived of even the minimum wages, which is a major reason for the increase in economic inequality.
They said that the government itself has accepted in the Vidhansabha that the number of registered unemployed in the state is touching 19 lakh, while a large army of unregistered unemployed including rural unemployment is also increased. On the other hand, thousands of posts are lying vacant in government departments. The working conditions of the government employees are also pathetic and this government is reneging on the election promise of regularizing the irregular employees. MNREGA could have become a great weapon to provide employment to the villagers, but the situation is that in the last financial year till September, on an average, only 24 days of work per family has been given and the number of families that get 100 days of employment is not even half percent. Despite this, the payment of wages to thousands of families is still pending. This shows the anti-employment attitude of the government.
Kisan Sabha leaders said that the state currently has a debt of Rs 90,000 crore and about Rs 450 crore is being spent every month only in interest payment. This debt is more than 90% of the total budget and 31% of the state’s GDP at constant rates. This indebtedness is dangerous for the development of the state.
Kisan Sabha leaders have expressed hope that the upcoming budget will be a budget to counter these challenges and expand the domestic market by increasing the purchasing power of the general masses.
