Budget 2019 is good, will help improve livelihood of people: Edappadi K Palaniswami

Chennai: Terming the interim budget as ‘'good’', Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday said the budget will help to improve the livelihood of the poor and common people. “In total, this is a good interim budget,” he said hailing the Union budget. “I congratulate Piysh Goyal … the budget was presented amidst high expectations of the people, meets the expectations of the farming sector, middle class and the housing and construction industry.”

Reacting to the Union Budget, the CM said the increase in income tax exemption to Rs five lakh, raise in tax deduction at source threshold on interest earned on deposits from Rs 10,000 to Rs 40,000 and standard deduction would all benefit the middle class, salaried and pensioners.

“These announcements are appropriate and aimed at the welfare of the middle classes,” CM Palaniswami said. He referred to fund allocation for areas, including the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, construction of rural roads and for housing to all by 2022 as welcome measures that would help improve the livelihood of the poor and common people.

The CM hailed the Union Government's “vision for the next decade”, and the assured income support to the small and marginal farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi.

Initiatives such as the three per cent interest subvention to farmers pursuing animal husbandry and fisheries would help growth of the primary sector (agriculture) and allied areas, he said.

The CM said a separate department for fisheries, Rs 3,000 pension plan under the 'Pradhan Mantri Shram-Yogi Maandhan' for the unorganised sector workers and increase in allocation for socialwelfare projects and in areas, including welfare of SC/STs and sanitation, were very wel-come.