New Delhi, Feb 10 (PTI) Opposition parties on Monday attacked the Union government on various issues, including rising inequality in terms of income amid rising inflation and joblessness in the country.

Participating in the discussion on Union Budget 2025-26 in the Rajya Sabha, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva said the Union Budget shows the government's priorities and intent.

"The Budget is not merely a statement of accounts, but one of intent. Our Prime Minister has described this Budget as a roadmap for Viksit Bharat. But the numbers reveal that the path seems only a mirage," he stated.

He noted that the Budget was presented as a proclamation of progress but it conveniently hides the realities of the time like stagnant growth, growing inequality, and a sizable demographic dividend slipping off the fingers.

"This government's policies have only enriched the privileged few, leaving behind a section of people with joblessness, inflation, and shrinking opportunities," Siva said.

He noted that 1 per cent of people in the country controlled around 41 per cent of the wealth and that the rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer.

Siva also pointed out the lack of support from the central government in running various schemes in states.

He also attacked the Union Budget for less allocations for important sectors like health and education.

Trinamool Congress MP Ritabrata Banerjee said the unemployment rate among the youth has gone up drastically in 2023-24.

"The latest Economic Survey data is showing that every year in the self-employed male workers the real earnings are decreasing constantly from 2017-18," he added.

Surplus labour inundating the job market combined with high inflation has severely squeezed the real incomes of the overwhelming majority of the Indian workforce, Banerjee said.

He noted that the nationalised banks alone have written off Rs 12 lakh crore over the last 10 years.

Banks have suffered at the hands of frauds and siphoning of funds, he alleged.

BJP member Dinesh Sharma, on the other hand, praised the finance minister for coming out with a Budget to propel the country towards the target of Viksit Bharat.

He noted that the country is moving towards becoming an innovation hub.

Sharma listed initiatives like growth in railways, urban development, and new education policy as some of the steps taken by the Union government for the welfare of the people. PTI MSS TRB TRB

Income inequality flagged as central concern in budget debate, tied to inflation, joblessness and inadequate social spending. Opposition criticised the Union Budget for increasing income inequality and failing to tackle inflation and unemployment, citing concentrated wealth, stagnant growth, declining real earnings for self employed male workers, rising youth joblessness, inadequate allocations for health and education, and large banking-sector write offs amid alleged frauds; government supporters defended the Budget as a development roadmap with investments in infrastructure, urban development, railways and education reforms to promote growth.