First, why did not fiscal consolidation take place in good years? Second, high growth resulted from cheap capital. Once interest rates were hiked and growth slowed, before September 2008, why were not pre-emptive measures introduced to handle job losses instead of waiting for scary figures of 5 to 10 million job losses to surface? Third, why did one has to wait for identification of BPL households? Now, the Planning Commission will set up the Unique Identification Authority for subsidised public delivery. When will it come? On account of votes, the Vote-on-Account recognises utility of the NREGA, SSA, MDMS, JNNURM, Bharat Nirman and farmers debt relief. These are the six slogans which are being touted. There is no doubt about it. But it seems the Government has run out of options and has mentioned about propriety and tradition. Yet, I would say the economy is in a crisis that warrants a much bolder effort and it is truly difficult to get away from the feeling. The Interim exercise has turned out to be a wasted opportunity. So, we have heard so much during the Budget Speech from the wise man from the East. He had placed a Budget, the last Budget, not this Interim Budget, in 1984. We went for the elections. The country went for the elections in December, 1984. Again, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has placed a Budget, though it is Interim Budget, just before the election. But there is a great difference. Now, I would conclude by saying that a wise man from the East has wasted an opportunity, an opportunity to lift this country from morass, to lift this country to greater heights, to lift this country to greater economic position. Sir, at the very outset, I would like to say that I feel the Interim Budget presented by the hon. Finance Minister.
