निराशाजनक बजट: असमानता को दूर करने हेतु पुनर्वितरण को बढ़ाने के लिए कोई कदम नहीं

- राज शेखर*

रोज़ी रोटी अधिकार अभियान यह जानकर निराश है कि 2024-25 के बजट घोषणा में खाद्य सुरक्षा के महत्वपूर्ण क्षेत्र में खर्च बढ़ाने के बजाय, बजट या तो स्थिर रहा है या इसमें गिरावट आई है।

वित्तीय वर्ष (FY) 2024-25 के लिए राष्ट्रीय खाद्य सुरक्षा अधिनियम के तहत खाद्य सब्सिडी का बजट अनुमान रु. 2.05 लाख करोड़ है, जो पिछले वित्तीय वर्ष के संशोधित अनुमान से 3.3% कम है। जब सभी स्रोत एवं ज़मीनी सच्चाई से यह स्पष्ट है कि देश कुपोषण और खाद्य असुरक्षा के बड़े संकट का सामना कर रहा है, तो यह वास्तव में चौंकाने वाला है कि खाद्य सब्सिडी बजट में कटौती की गई है।

पोषण (स्कूल मिड-डे मील) योजना में 2023-24 के अनुमानित बजट ₹11,600 करोड़ से मामूली वृद्धि देखी गई है, जो ₹12,467 करोड़ है (हालांकि यह 2022-23 में इस योजना पर होने वाले वास्तविक व्यय ₹12,681 करोड़ से कम है)। छह साल से कम उम्र के बच्चों, गर्भवती और स्तनपान कराने वाली महिलाओं और किशोर लड़कियों के लिए सक्षम आंगनवाड़ी योजना में भी कमी देखी गई है और इसे ₹21,200 करोड़ का बजटीय आवंटन मिला है ( 2023-24 के संशोधित अनुमान ₹21,523 करोड़ था)।

समर्थ जिसमें मातृत्व अधिकार (प्रधानमंत्री मातृ वंदना योजना, पीएमएमवीवाई) और क्रेच योजनाएं शामिल हैं, बजट अनुमान 2023-24 के ₹2,582 करोड़ की तुलना में इसके आवंटन में ₹2,517 करोड़ की कमी देखी गई है।

केंद्रीय बजट एक बार फिर ग्रामीण संकट को दूर करने में विफल रहा है। मनरेगा के लिए आवंटन पिछले वर्ष के संशोधित अनुमान के समान ही है। बजट ने गारंटी खरीद के साथ C2+50% पर एमएसपी की किसानों की लंबे समय से चली आ रही मांगों को नजरअंदाज कर दिया है। किसानों के संघर्ष के समर्थन में कई वर्षों से रोज़ी रोटी अधिकार अभियान की भी यह मजबूत मांग रही है।

रोज़ी रोटी अधिकार अभियान लोगों के प्रति सरकार की उदासीनता और उपेक्षापूर्ण रवैये से हैरान है, खासकर उन लोगों के प्रति जिन्हें भोजन और पोषण सहायता की सबसे ज्यादा ज़रूरत है। भूख और कुपोषण की ज़मीनी हकीकत को उजागर करने वाली रिपोर्टों को खारिज करने और उनका मुकाबला करने के लिए समय और संसाधन खर्च करने के बजाय, सरकार को समस्याओं को स्वीकार करना चाहिए और खाद्य सुरक्षा प्रावधानों को बढ़ाना चाहिए। सरकार देश में असमानता के खतरनाक स्तर को संबोधित करने के लिए कोई भी उपाय शामिल करने में विफल रही है और गरीब विरोधी तथा कॉर्पोरेट समर्थक बनी हुई है।

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*रोज़ी रोटी अधिकार अभियान

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राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी: जल जीवन मिशन के लक्ष्य को पाने समन्वित प्रयास जरूरी

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