Chief Minister Raghubar Das has hailed the annual Budget for the year 2018-19 presented by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely terming it path-breaking and the one to drive the nation further on the path of development.
“This is a historic Budget presented by the Finance Minister. The Budget would take the country even forward. Contrary to the speculation, this also not an election oriented Budget and instead shows commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards the nation,” said Raghubar Das on Thursday soon after the most important annual estimates were laid down in the lok Sabha.
The ruling BJP at the same time backed the CM’s statement and the Budget lauding the provisions made about boosting healthcare, farm sector and schemes for providing gas and power connections.
“It is heartening to note that the Government through the Budget has initiated world’s largest health insurance scheme for the economically vulnerable sections of the country aiming to provide insurance up to Rs five lakh to 50 crore people. Also, the provision to ensure 1.5 times more price than input cost to the farmers for their produces would support the sector immensely and is a welcome step.
The Budget also promises to provide three crore new gas connections under Ujjawala scheme and four crore power connections under Saubhagya scheme along with building 51 lakh dwellings for economically vulnerable sections,” said State BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo.
However, Opposition parties of the State, as expected, have denounced the provisions announced and saw nothing new in it, especially for Jharkhand.
“If you look at the speech of the Finance Minister it is very clear that he is admitting failures of the Government in these four years. He admits that condition of farmers is not good, quality of education is poor, health system is in shambles and farmers are not getting remunerative price of their produces. Now after ruling the country for four years they say everything would become alright in 2022. In fact, the people would make everything alright in 2019 itself,” said JMM executive president and former chief minister Hemant Soren.
The JMM leader found no merit in the claims made about existing input cost of Rabi crops and criticised it for no relief to individual tax payers. He also questioned why revision of salary for MGNREGA workers and others getting pensions has not been made in the lines of MPs announced by Jaitely. He also raised doubts over announcement made about building new 99 Smart Cities when no such city has come up during last four years.
JVM also found noting in the Budget for the middle class and termed it disappointing for them. Party spokesperson Yogendra Singh said it had duped youths in the name of jobs. “Most of the announcements made were already in domain.
It is more an old win in new bottle. Farm loan waiver was expected. The Budget is completely silent on Jharkhand,” said the leader.
Corporate sector nonetheless hailed it. “The 2018 budget confirms and substantiates the Government’s agenda of stabilising and sustaining growth, focus on infrastructure build-up, development of railways, digitalization of the economy, restraining black money, promoting rural electrification and inclusive growth including providing relief to middle class through affordable housing etc. With emphasis on rural economy, investment on education and health, the budget has taken a balanced shape with key strategic focus and directionally appropriate steps in terms of quality and inclusive growth,” said Amritanshu Prasad, Head- Corporate Affairs, Adani Group, Ranchi.
FJCCI president Ranjit Gadodia said that the Government had paid attention in curbing black money and improving infrastructure. “The stress is on infrastructure but we are equally disappointed that MSMEs has got only Rs 3794 crore.
The Finance Minister has done little on this despite the PM stressing on this sector. Overall the Budget has focused on health, education and agriculture which would help rural areas,” said Gadodia.