Great Expectations - Citizens' Questions for Union Government

Great Expectations - Citizens' Questions for Union Government

By: 

Vijay Sardana

Budget has given lot of new thoughts for the common man and also gave lot of focus on agriculture and healthcare. With all the good intention, there are some missing links which should be addressed by the policy makers whoever is in power. These are difficult issues face by common man and need serious consideration by policy makers to find practical answers.

S.No.	Sector	Citizens Questions for Union Government
1.	Agriculture	Where is the agriculture policy document of Union government? Where are the animal husbandry and fisheries policies of Union government? How and where Private investment will come without comprehensive vision and policy document?
2.	Agriculture	MSP:  If farmers are using less expensive input and following more low-cost organic method, will they get less MSP? Please clarify, if MSP is 50% of inputs used, the low cost farmer will suffer the most. Is this fair?
3.	Agriculture	22000 Agro village haat markets will be created outside APMC Act. If APMC act is so bad, why not scrape APMC Act itself, if it is so bad?
4.	Agriculture	MSP and Food inflation: If we go by the proposed formula – the MSP for Dal will be at Rs. 70 per kg. After processing, no Dal will be less than Rs. 100. · What will be customs duty of imported Dals, please elaborate, because at current duty imported Dals will be cheaper and more profitable for trade. ·  What will happen to inflation? · What will happen to interest rates?
5.	Animal Husbandry	· The ban on slaughter has created serious problems of stray animals. Please tell your plans to manage stray animals destroying farmers’ crop. · What is the budget allocation?
6.	Animal Husbandry	· Where is the budget allocation to is provide feed and fodder production for BPL families, they don’t have land to grow fodder if they want to rear animals to raise income? · How much milk, egg and meat we need in India? Who will decide the Milk, Egg and meat price? .
7.	Animal Husbandry	· Livestock exports are suffering due to poor health and disease in animals. · What are the plans to eradicate diseases to promote exports? · What is the budget allocation for One billion animal population?
8.	Healthcare	· When medical course fee is Rs. 50 lakhs to Rs.1.50 crores, who can work at government salary. How is government planning to provide affordable health services? · Is there any plan to control the cost of medical education in larger public interest?
9.	Education loan and NPAs	· The youth of India is gaining High-cost education funded by education loans. In absence of jobs, education loans are becoming NPAs. What is the status of education loans in Indian and how much is NPA. Abroad is also the biggest drain on foreign exchange.
10.	Exports	The government has planned 15% export growth to create jobs and to meet trade deficit. · What changes government will make in policies which failed to deliver in last few years under the government so that 15% growth can be achieved. Please elaborate?  - Why someone should buy from India - due to low cost or better innovation? What is the increase in innovation funding?
11.	Skill India	Is mandatory quality control part of Skill India, if yes? The quality of training required to compete in world market needs special attention to support exports.
12.	Mudra Yojna	· What is the interest rate for Mudra Yojna? · Why is it higher than corporate India interest rates. (16% vs. 10%)? · Can MSME compete with high interest mudra loans in front of low-interest cost  MNC and large companies?
13.	Corruption killing new investments in Food Business	· Corruption in enforcement reflected in adulterated and substandard foods flooded in market.  Adulterated products are cheaper in price and pure products are expensive mainly in food category. This is also one of the reason why farmers don't get MSP and new investments fail. Even Baba Ramdev also advertising that market is full of adulterated products, buy his products. · How many adulterated samples were identified by State governments? ·  How many companies were closed making adulterated products by State governments? · How many inspectors arrested for taking a bribe and clearing bad products by State governments?
14.	Food Inflation and Interest Rate	· What was the cost of basic food items in Feb.’2014 and what is the cost of basic food in Fed.2018? · What percentage of the consumer price goes to farmers? · What rules were changed to improve market efficiency in last 4 years for basic food items, they were always under zero taxes?
15.	Consumer Products	· Imported products are allowed to use stickers in place for printing on packaging materials. The same concession is not available to Indian companies mainly MSMEs? Indian SMEs suffer major losses in packaging inventory because of printing laws but imported products get away with stickers? Why this favor to only for imported products and not for Indian companies? This is against MAKE IN INDIA policy.
16.	Judiciary	· Long pending cases in courts are a major concern. What steps are taken to reduce the pendency of cases? · What is the increase in the budget to address the pendency of cases which are hurting common man?
17.	MNREGA	· MNREGA can be used for creation of national assets, where labour is in short supply? · How much budget increase given in MNREGA?

You may add many other questions about your areas of interest.