HYDERABAD, June 7: The federal budget 2005-06 received a mixed response from different quarters here. In their comments obtained by Dawn on Tuesday, opposition parties rejected the budgetary proposals on the ground that it contained no relief for the common man. Agriculturalists said at least Rs200 billion should have been allocated for the agriculture sector.

Industrialists described the budget as satisfactory, saying sales tax on cotton yarn and import duty on machinery had been done away with which would yield positive results.

“There should be an independent debate before parliament passes the budget. Collectively, it is good but much is left to be desired when it comes to the agriculture sector which is contributing 90 per cent to our total trade where means of transport and agricultural infrastructure need to be upgraded and revitalized,” said Sindh Abadgar Board officials Abdul Majeed Nizamani and Mahmood Zaman Shah.

They called for allocating 0.8 per cent of the GDP for agricultural research and Rs200 billion, instead of Rs100 billion, for the agriculture sector.

“While import duty has been abolished, growers should have been allowed to import tractors which would have transformed agriculture into a mechanized farming sector,” they said.

They welcomed the announcement of zero rating in textile industry as well as raise in pension and salaries of government employees. They praised the waiver of import duty on urea but said no attention had been paid to potassium and phosphorous. They said zinc was deficient in 60 per cent of land in Sindh which should have been taken care of.

Likewise, they said, drip irrigation introduced in parts of Balochistan should have been supported in hilly terrains of Dadu, Thana Bula Khan and Tharparkar and the concept of reservoirs on farms should have been encouraged.

Kotri Association of Trade and Industry senior vice-chairman Tariq Baloch said the budget had come up to expectations of industrialists because relief had been given on sales tax whereas the central excise duty had also been abolished. He said the industrial sector had been duly taken care of.

Nooriabad Executive Club of Trade and Industry office-bearer Ziaur Rehman also hailed the budget.

Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Afzal Gujjar said people had hoped that the prime minister would provide relief to the common man but the reality was different.

He said the increase in salaries was not commensurate with skyrocketing prices of consumer goods. He foresaw mini-budgets in the near future.

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MPA Abdul Rehman Rajput and People’s Party Parliamentarians MPA Zahid Bhurgari termed the budget anti-people.

They said a worker could not make both ends meet with Rs3,000 per month in these days of inflation. They added that the rulers were least concerned about prices of pulses, vegetables, electricity tariff and flour which basically related to the common man.

They said the budget was mere jugglery of words, having nothing for the poor.

Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mahmood Ahmad said the budget was balanced one and an important initiative towards economic agenda of President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

He said the introduction of “one village one product” plan would help introduce goods in and outside the country and open new avenues of job opportunities.