Pradesh Congress Committee president Sarat Pattanayak has termed the State Budget presented by Finance Minister Niranjan Puajari in the State Assembly on Saturday as a mere statistical jugglery rather than a real intent to improve the lots of people.
“It has disappointed farmers, labourers and deprived sections. When the aspirations of people are soaring, we do not see concomitant rise in the budgetary provisions,” he said.
Pattanayak outlined that the State, unfortunately, remains mired with poverty, inequality and lack of infrastructure both in urban and rural areas and there was an expectations that the budget would address people’s aspirations, but it failed to do so.
The Indian National Congress would continue to raise the issues of people’s deprivation and basic needs, for which the Government must act, he said.BJP State president Samir Mohanty described the budget as a document that lacks clarity and has betrayed women, unemployed youths, labourers, farmers and students.
While the State Government has claimed that the budget size increased, it has at the same time undermined the budget estimates and the actual spending in comparison with budget estimates is reduced, he said, adding, “It had been hoped that the Government would take initiative to increase the State’s own revenue and reduce dependence on the Centre.”
In all fronts, the budget has disappointed the people of the State, he stated.