The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on October 31, 2014. The finance ministry has decided to implement a ten percent cut in the government’s non-plan expenditure for the current financial year. These austerity measures do not involve only a ban on first air travel or meetings in five star hotels, but subsidies will bear the main brunt of the cuts. This would mean cut in subsidies meant for the people and welfare measures. The government should come out and explain under what heads these cuts are being made. The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) opposes any cut in expenditure on subsidies to the people and welfare measures.