New Delhi: On Wednesday, Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, shared a new seven-point plan aimed at helping India’s middle class. He said this group has been ignored by past governments and has faced what he calls “tax terrorism.” In a short video, he explained that the middle class is like the backbone of India’s economy but has mostly been treated as just a source of tax money.
Kejriwal’s plan includes several important ideas:
– More Money for Education: He wants to increase the education budget from 2% to 10%, and he wants to limit how much private schools can charge.
– Support for Higher Education: He suggested providing scholarships and subsidies so that quality education is available to everyone.
– Better Healthcare: He believes healthcare spending should rise to 10% of the country’s total money and wants to eliminate taxes on health insurance.
– Higher Income Tax Exemption: He proposed raising the income tax exemption limit from ₹7 lakh to ₹10 lakh to lessen the financial burden on families.
– Tax Removal on Essentials: He called for removing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on basic goods, stating this tax harms middle-class families the most.
– Improved Retirement Plans: He wants better retirement plans and free healthcare for older people in both private and government hospitals.
– Train Fare Discounts: He wants the government to bring back a 50% discount for senior citizens on train fares, which was taken away a while ago.
Kejriwal criticized other political parties for treating the middle class poorly since India became independent. He promised that Aam Aadmi Party MPs would speak up for the middle class in future Parliament meetings, making their concerns a key topic. This announcement is timely as the Delhi Assembly elections are coming up on February 5, with results to be announced on February 8. The Aam Aadmi Party, which won 62 out of 70 seats in 2020, is aiming for a third consecutive term.
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