Bisheshwar Mishra / AMN
New Delhi. The Union Budget 2016-17 presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday, the leap year day of February 29, was hailed by the BJP leaders as “transformative budget”, while the opposition dubbed it as “pro rich’’.
Soon after the budget presentation BJP leaders Ravishankar Prasad and Prakash Javdekar were seen describing the budget to the media as the one that would strengthen the infrastructure and and transform the rural sector in a big way.
The Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on the other hand told the media, that effort has been made in the budget to benefit the corporate houses. He in fact alleged that budget did not talk much about the farmers.
BSP leader Mayawati also described that budget as the one ignoring the weaker sections of the society.
Parliamentary Party leader of Biju Janata Dal in Lok Sabha Bhartruhari Mahtab has said that Odisha like states were expecting more from centrally sponsored schemes but there is no mention of it in the budget. He said, the Finance Minister has tried to keep a balance between Farm and Industry sector. Mr Mahtab, however, lauded the announcement of dispute redressal mechanism to reduce litigation.
Pawan Verma of the JD(U) also criticised the budget. He said, common man, middle class and industry have been ignored in it. Mr Verma said, there has been no evaluation of the earlier scheme. He said, nothing has been mentioned regarding waiving off the loan of farmers. Jay Panda of the BJD, however, hailed the budget. He said, adequate attention and fund allocation have been made for the infrastructure.
RJD leader Jayaprakash Yadav said that no attention was paid to the weaker sections of the society in the budget. The latter alleged that the finance minister had failed to satisfy Parliament over the initiatives being taken by the government to bring back the black money. He also alleged that Bihar has been ignored in the budget as well as there was no mention of granting special status to the state.
On the other hand, BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar described the budget as transformative. He said the budget is pro-poor, pro-farmer and pro-development. The Minister said infrastructure, rural and social development have been given adequate attention in it.
The Janta Dal United leader Ali Anwar said “the budget has provided no immediate relief to farmers who were committing suicide in the villages