Rajasthan Cong Calls Budget 2022-23 'Directionless'; BJP Says 'Growth-Oriented'

The Rajasthan Congress on Tuesday dubbed the Union Budget as "disappointing and directionless", while the state BJP welcomed the budget, calling it "growth-oriented". Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the budget will further lead to rise in fiscal deficit and has no special provision for farmers, common man, poor and women.

"The fiscal deficit of the central government has doubled in the last seven years. After this budget, the deficit is going to rise further. There is no special provision for farmers, common man, poor, women and deprived sections in the budget," Gehlot said in a statement. He said that new employment figures have been presented in the budget but no concrete action plan has been made for it. "Its fate will also be similar to the promise of two crore jobs per year," the chief minister said.

"The citizens of Rajasthan, who gave 25 MPs to the NDA from this budget, have been completely disappointed. No announcement has been made for National Project status to ERCP, 90:10 ratio of Centre-State expenditure in Jal Jeevan Mission, Jaisalmer-Kandla railway line and establishment of MEMU coach in Gulabpura," he said. "This budget will prove to be a budget to increase inflation, to fill the pockets of industrialists and to empty the pockets of common man, farmer and labourer," the senior Congress leader said.

Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Singh Dotasra said that the Union Budget has "disappointed" youths, farmers and the common man. Terming the budget as directionless, he also said Rajasthan "got nothing in the budget". He said that the announcement to promote organic farming along the Ganga river was only because of the Uttar Pradesh elections. "The budget is disappointing which has no vision and direction. Be it farmers or youths or women, all are disappointed at the budget," he told reporters.

"Entire country is agitated over inflation but there was not a single announcement by the finance minister on controlling the inflation," he said. "All the 25 MPs including three ministers from Rajasthan failed to get anything for the state in the Union  budget," he added.

Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje said that the Budget is going to realize the visionary thinking of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and fulfil the expectations of the common man. "The Budget will reduce inflation, increase employment and strengthen the hands of farmers," she said, adding that the budget is dedicated to 'self-reliant India', which is going to strengthen the country's economy.

"This will also give impetus to urban development," she said. Raje said that the Budget will fulfil the slogan of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas'. "This will also pave the way to double the income of the farmers. It will prove to be the beginning of a new era of development and prosperity in the country," she said.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly Gulab Chand Kataria said this Budget is dedicated to the youth, farmers, and women. Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore said the Union Budget will push growth and development and will fulfil the aspirations of the countrymen. BJP state president Satish Poonia said the Budget has been presented keeping in mind the public welfare and upliftment of all sections including youth, farmers, women, due to which every class will become self-reliant with economic progress and with self-respect.

With PTI Inputs