Opposition leaders have in no time rejected State Budget for year 2017-18 presented by Chief Minister Raghubar Das today, calling it a way to cheat locals of the State. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) said that the budget was just a cleverly manipulated compilation of data and a honey-bowl dossier to lure global investors coming to Global Investor Summit next month. However, trade bodies have welcomed budget with a few reservations.
“The budget presented by the CM is a total waste specially in the fields of rural development, agriculture and health sectors keeping in mind that the only 34 percent of the budget has been allocated to these sectors altogether, that also after failing to use budgetary allocations of last two financial years in these sectors. The government has come up with a clear vision of destroying villages by changing them into dova and ponds on the name of development,” a the JMM’s spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said.
He also said in the note that the toughest challenges of the days in State like law and order and road-transport were left untouched, making the budget a document of deceit to locals, which JMM vehemently condemned. Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) MlA and General Secretary Pradeep Yadav also named budget as an old wine in new bottle. “The government has completely missed education and health sectors. Displacement, unemployment, agriculture and infrastructure sectors have totally been neglected,” said Yadav.
However, State Congress President Sukhdev Bhagat preferred to count demerits of the budget saying that the government didn’t reveal how plans announced in the budget were to be implemented. “Current financial year is ending with merely 66 days left. However, only 52 percent of the budgetary allocations have been used so far by the government. Presented budget is just a bunch of plans with no clear vision of implementation,” said Bhagat. He also mocked budget by saying that the government came up with a plan of single window for farmers, but they were suffering with paddy purchase centres so far.
Rajyasabha MP Mahesh Poddar welcomed budget by calling it a pro-poor and development oriented one with clear vision to take the State to next level. Ganesh Reddy of Citizen Foundation also welcomed the budget for being development oriented and pro poor.
The Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) also welcomed the budget and said that it was the first time in the history of Jharkhand that the Chief Minister came up with ATR Report. “Health, education, security, women empowerment, agriculture and sports are the areas where government has kept special focus upon. Inclusion of provisions suggested by the Chamber like formation of GST Advisory Committee and MSME Board are welcome and encouraging move,” said Chamber President Vinay Agarwal.
Secretary of Jharkhand Wing of PHD Chamber of Commerce JN Singh also welcomed the budget by calling it an effort by the government for all-round development. However, he also counted some cautions saying that the budget didn’t carry much for industries. “The State is ready to welcome global investors. We were expecting moves like tax holiday for industries to come, which is missing from the budget. I do believe the government will have some plans for industries, too,” said Singh.
Socio-Economic and Parliamentary Studies Centre Secretary Ayodhyanath Mishra also welcomed budget, calling it positive and development-centric one.