RSS-Affiliated Unions Urge Tax Exemptions And Employment Guarantees In Budget Proposals To Finance Minister Sitharaman

RSS-affiliated unions, including the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Laghu Udyog Bharati, Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), and Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), shared their pre-budget recommendations with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday (6 January).

Their proposals covered tax exemptions, employment guarantees, and measures to bolster domestic manufacturing.

The BMS, represented by Pawan Kumar and his colleagues, urged the government to expand the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to provide 200 days of employment per family.

They also sought a “special package” for labour-intensive sectors such as agriculture, plantations, beedi, and fisheries.

Other demands included implementing an 8th Pay Commission, raising the income tax exemption limit to Rs 10 lakh, reinstating the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in place of the New Pension Scheme (NPS) and Universal Pension Scheme (UPS), enhancing gratuity calculations from 15 days to 30 days per year, and exempting pensioners from paying income tax.

Laghu Udyog Bharati, representing small and medium enterprises, called for faster Goods and Services Tax (GST) refunds, an amnesty scheme for minor GST filing lapses, and the rationalisation of GST rates to support MSMEs.

The Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) proposed waiving GST on agricultural inputs and introducing a mechanism to increase the PM Kisan Nidhi at regular intervals. They also suggested transferring fertiliser subsidies directly to farmers' accounts to improve efficiency and transparency.

The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), represented by Ashwini Mahajan, raised concerns about the trade imbalance with China. The SJM demanded a comprehensive manufacturing policy that includes tariffs and other trade measures to incentivise domestic production and reduce reliance on Chinese imports.

These consultations form part of the government’s pre-budget exercise to gather input from various stakeholders. Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget for 2025-26 on 1 February 2025. The proposals from the RSS-affiliated unions reflect a focus on employment generation, rural development, and reducing external dependencies in key sectors.