Akhilesh: Budget mum on USD 1 trillion economy

Lucknow: Attacking the BJP govt of avoiding the mention of $1 trillion economy goal in the Budget, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav wondered why there is no talk about it any more.
"Now govt is not even talking about the $ 1trillion economy goal for the state. There was no mention of it in the entire budget. With the present growth rate, they will never be able to achieve the $ 1 trillion economy goal," Akhilesh said, addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here on Thursday.
Describing the budget as the ‘second last budget of the BJP govt' in the state, Akhilesh said it lacks direction and clear vision. "This is the ninth budget of this govt and it is their second last," Akhilesh said, adding that after one more budget people of the state will get a chance to choose a new govt. (2027 assembly elections).
Equating govt's claim that the present was the "biggest budget" as it was larger than than the previous one to the old saying that ‘empty vessels make more noise', the former UP CM said every new budget has to be larger than the previous one and that has always been the case. "The reality is that the budget has no connection with the promises that the BJP had made in its election manifesto," he said adding: "This is not a budget, it's an empty drum that makes a lot of noise, but has nothing inside,"
He said the manifesto promised free electricity to farmers, pledged to set up a Rs 25,000 crore agro-infrastructure mission in the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and a Rs 1,000 crore Bhama Shah Price Stabilization Fund for crops like potatoes, tomatoes and onions, but not a single promise has materialised. "They also promised to provide MSP to farmers. Where is it?," he questioned.
Akhilesh had promised to clear dues of sugarcane farmers within 14 days, failing which interest would be given on the outstanding amount. "Govt always talks about the amount its had paid so far but never mentions the dues on date," he said. Even BJP ministers and MLAs, who were thumping desks in the Assembly, are restless now because they will have to face the anger of farmers, rising prices and increasing unemployment which the budget has failed to address, Akhilesh added.
Meanwhile, SP president Akhilesh Yadav took potshots at chief minister Yogi Adityanath, stating that while the BJP is opposing use of Urdu in the House, the CM used several Urdu words during his speech in the Assembly. "Aren't ‘badnaam' , ‘bakhsha nahi jayega', 'gunehgar,' 'haseen' and 'duniya,' Urdu words?" he questioned. Akhilesh said these words were used by the CM during his address a day after he opposed Samajwadi Party's demand to allow use of Urdu in the Assembly. The SP chief also quoted a couplet that finance minister Suresh Khanna recited while presenting the budget. "Even the budget could not be presented without using Urdu words. The couplet he used was Jis din se chala hoon meri manzil par nazar hai (Ever since I started my journey , my focus has been on the final destination). Isn't that in Urdu?," he asked newsmen.