interim-budget-merely-financial-web-to-trap-people-says-hp-cm

Even as the state BJP hailed the interim Union budget presented by Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman as people-friendly, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister,  Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the interim budget has failed to meet the expectations of the people of the country. 

 

Sukhu said that the budget is merely a financial web to trap the people in its luring promises. The focus of the budget is to woo the voters ahead of polls rather than to strengthen the economy, he added.

 

The CM said once again, that the interests of Himachal Pradesh have been ignored in the budget and not even a single penny has been provided, despite knowing well, that the state suffered a huge loss of lives and property during Monsoons last year.

 

He said that there is no mention of the expansion of the rail network for the state. "They have not talked about any rapid mass transit system for hilly states like Himachal, where metro rail cannot be started", he said.

 

Though the green and solar energy formed part of the budget speech, there is no clear roadmap as to how the green and solar energy initiatives would be achieved, the Chief Minister said.

He said no additional tax relief has been given to the middle class, though it plays an important role in the Indian economy. "The budget does not talk about controlling inflation," he said.

 

Sukhu said the prices of LPG were already high and there has been no reduction in the prices of diesel and petrol to provide relief to the common people. He said that there was nothing for the salaried,  the poor and the middle class. " Only the capitalists and industrialists have been kept in mind in this budget. 

 

The budget has exposed the anti-poor face of the Union government," he stated.

 

The Chief Minister said that besides collecting Goods and Services Tax of around Rs. 1.8 lakh crore, no additional concession has been given in Income Tax and other taxes. The budget has sidelined the Health sector as well, he held.