It has been claimed by the UPA Government that in this Budget there has been a substantial increase in subsidy to social sectors. The important question is whether the poor aadmi has been benefited by this subsidy or not. Has he got food, power, health care or not? The answer comes in negative because more than 27 per cent of the population of our country lives below poverty line. I would like to know whether the Government has taken measures to distribute the entitled subsidy directly to the targeted beneficiaries since the subsidies are regressive and not progressive. Subsidy on petroleum products and fertilizers has gone mostly to the overseas suppliers. I would also like the hon. Finance Minister to explain to the House that when the revenue collection is falling due to the industrial slow down and also due to reckless spending and inaccurate accounting in Budget, how this Government is going to improve fiscal deficit which is going up to 13 per cent if the deficit of States were to be added to that of the Union Budget. The truth, about the deficit, therefore, is that it is designed to serve political objectives, not economic one. It is, therefore, hard to argue that the deficit translates into the stimulus for the troubled sectors. Sir, the State trading corporation came into existence three years ago when the opinion in the country was very much divided. There were many doubting elements who shouted and cried that the state was embarking on an adventure which should be the close preserve of private enterprise. All these people represented the world of vested interests, but the organisation was ushered in, spite of their criticism, of their adverse reaction, in a healthy climate of goodwill, because there were also many in the country who thought that such an organisation would be able to introduce a new healthy trend in our trade and commerce and that it would help us to build up our trade, international and national.
