Attacks On Union Budget Gets Personal; FM, Allies Come To Fence It

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman strongly  responded  to Opposition  criticisms that she had  only picked two states — Andhra and Bihar — that are ruled by  NDA allies for special attention in the Union Budget.  Responding to  Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge’s charge that the BJP-led government  had unfairly prioritised Bihar and Andhra Pradesh in the Union Budget for 2024-25 and  it was a “kursi-bachao” document, suggesting  that it was designed to preserve the government’s power rather than serve the nation’s needs , Sitharaman  noted that the absence of specific state names in her speech did not mean those states were ignored. Sitharaman pointed to Maharashtra as an example, where despite not being mentioned, the state had recently received approval for a Rs 76,000-crore port project at Vadhavan ,Dahanu. “From the time of the interim budget till now.” If the speech does not mention the name of a particular state, does it mean that the schemes of the Government of India, the programmes of the Government of India, the externally-aided assistance which we obtain from the World Bank, ADB, AIIB and institutions like that do not go to these states? They go as per a routine,” Sitharaman remarked. Kharge  said  states where people have rejected BJP, those states got nothing from this budget! ” Everyone’s plate is empty, and in the plate of two states there are Pakora and Jalebi. This budget has been brought only to save his chair.” Attacking Bihar for Rs 26000cr infrastructure funds  got so personal  with JD(U) MP Dinesh Chandra Yadav protesting  Chennai MP Dayanidhi Maran  for  linking collapse of 15 bridges recently  to  the  release of  Central funds.” Our state bears the brunt of flood waters from the Himalayas, something no one will  know.”  Vishakhapatnam MP M Sribharat of the TDP also highlighted  the importance of Centre’s role in rebuilding his state.