The Opposition parties in Maharashtra have criticised the interim Budget for not offering anything to the State.
Terming the latest Budget an attempt to paper over the cracks in the economy, Opposition leaders called out the government’s ‘bluff’ and failure to address issues rural distress, job losses, impact of demonetisation and other issues seriously ailing the economy. However, the State government defended the Budget, calling it a catalyst which will help speed up the development process.
State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said, “The measures announced in today’s Budget will help speed up the process of development, at the same time provide relief to farmers, traders and the middle class. The Budget has also sent a message to the naysayers who believed the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled States are mired deep in debt and have no resources to provide relief to the middle class and small traders.”
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the Budget has offered “pathbreaking” initiatives for farmers with as much as ₹75,000 crore provisioned for the agrarian class. “The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme will provide small and marginal farmers with ₹6,000 every year and send it directly into their bank accounts. It will not only provide assured income support but also earnings and respectable living to the farmers.”
‘A political stunt’
Senior leaders from the Opposition parties called the Budget a political stunt and an attempt to paper over the economic mistakes of the past five years. “This [Budget] was just a political stunt, which offered no relief for farmers or small traders,” said Dhananjay Munde, the Leader of the Opposition in the Council.
Milind Deora, Congress leader from south Mumbai, said the Budget failed to address slow growth, rural distress, fewer jobs, and tax terrorism. He said, “Despite the Finance Minister’s assurance, tax terrorism remains a major problem in India. The Budget is a long copy advertisement of India Shining 2.0. It has failed to impress the industry, common man and address fundamental problems of the economy.”