Budget 2020 a raw deal for Maharashtra: Uddhav Thackeray

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday termed the Union Budget a big disappointment for Mumbai and Maharashtra.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday termed the Union Budget a big disappointment for Mumbai and Maharashtra.

“There is a clear discrimination and secondary treatment accorded to Maharashtra in the Budget. There is no allocation for Metro project or local trains, which is the lifeline of people in the financial capital,” Thackeray said in an official statement.

“While the strengthening of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT CITY) is high on the agenda of the Centre, there was no mention of International Financial Services Centre in Mumbai, which is the economic capital of the country,” he said.

“The privatisation of LIC, railways and IDBI has exposed the pathetic state of the economy. The projection of 10 per cent growth rate is unrealistic,” the statement said, adding that the Rs 2.83 lakh crore allocation for the agriculture sector was a marginal increase from the last Budget.

Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis described the Budget as inclusive and growth-oriented with a focus on development. “The 2020 ‘Jan Jan Ka’ Budget lays the foundation for the journey of Bharat to Navbharat. The agenda for the new decade emphasises on greater inclusive development across segments for modern India,” he said.

While maintaining that the Budget maintains continuity with stress on double-income for farmers by 2022, allocation of Rs 2.83 lakh crore for irrigation and rural development reiterates Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to grassroots reforms in core sectors, he added.

The Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP were united in admonishing the Budget. State NCP president and Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil said, “The government should reveal how much it has allocated for the bullet train. The Budget has totally neglected Mumbai and Maharashtra.”

“The government took credit for GST. But several states have not received the financial component promised by the Centre as tax compensation,” he said.

State Congress president and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said, “The Budget is directionless and zero on finances.”