MUMBAI: Opposition leaders on Thursday described the Budget presented by the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government as the dangling of carrot in front of people and a precursor to mid-term elections.
नापिकी, शेतमाल मातीमोल भावानं विकावं लागत आहे, त्यातच अवकाळी पावसानं राज्यातील परिस्थिती गंभीर झाली आहे. राज्याच्या कृषीमंत्र्यांच्या मतदार संघात एकाच गावात दोन शेतकरी आत्महत्या करतात, ही लाजिरवाणी गोष्ट आहे. लाखाचा पोशिंदा असणारा शेतकरी अडचणीत आला आहे.#अर्थसंकल्पीयअधिवेशन२०२३ pic.twitter.com/SnAEMOV2a2
— Ajit Pawar (@AjitPawarSpeaks) March 9, 2023
The state Budget for 2023-24 proposed Rs 6,000 assistance to farmers and Re 1 crop insurance scheme while also offering relief in professional tax to working women, 50 per cent discount on ticket fares in state-run buses to women and a new scheme for the girl child.
राज्याचा अर्थसंकल्प म्हणजे केवळ शब्दांचे फुलोरे, स्वप्नांचे इमले आणि घोषणांचा सुकाळ आहे. राज्याची आर्थिक स्थिती पाहता यातील किती गोष्टींची फलश्रृती होईल याबाबत शंकाच आहे.#अर्थसंकल्पीयअधिवेशन२०२३#MahaBudgetSession2023
— Ajit Pawar (@AjitPawarSpeaks) March 9, 2023
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ajit Pawar said the Budget was an indication that mid-term elections would take place.
Assembly elections would become due in Maharashtra in October 2024.
”Most likely, they will hold Assembly and general elections together. I have been in public life for the last many years, so I can see in which direction the wind is blowing,” Pawar, a former finance minister, told reporters.
आज पक्षप्रमुख श्री.उद्धवसाहेब ठाकरे विधिमंडळ अर्थसंकल्पीय अधिवेशनाच्या सातव्या दिवशी विधानभवन, मुंबई येथे दाखल झाले. यावेळी शिवसेना (उद्धव बाळासाहेब ठाकरे) नेते, युवासेना प्रमुख, आमदार आदित्यजी ठाकरे, पक्षाचे आमदार, खासदार उपस्थित होते. pic.twitter.com/5yXV3NWOTy
— ShivSena – शिवसेना Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (@ShivSenaUBT_) March 9, 2023
”There is a complete lack of vision in this budget,” he added.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said, ”The Budget provisions were like the dangling of a carrot before people. One will have to wait for a long time to see all the promises become reality.
मागास जातींबाबत आर्थिक तरतूद केली जाते पण ती खर्चच केली जात नाही हे मागील वर्षीच्या आकडेवारीवरून दिसते, तब्बल ५० टक्के निधी खर्चच केलेला नाही. pic.twitter.com/DtugqW2vsY
— Nana Patole (@NANA_PATOLE) March 9, 2023
”When I was in power, the Union government was not properly disbursing GST dues. Now there is a state government that has the backing of the Union government, so we will see whether they can deliver or not,” the former chief minister said.
Some schemes from his tenure were ”repackaged and presented as their own,” Thackeray claimed.
State Congress chief Nana Patole said, ”Like untimely rains, today we saw promises and announcements raining in the House. The government has announced 50 per cent subsidy for women travellers in MSRTC buses, but what about improving the fiscal condition of the corporation?”
#MahaBudget2023 Rs 1000 crore on memorials (smaraks)!! This amount could have been used on improving school infrastructure in rural areas. 1600 schools in @DMAurangabadMH have tin sheds. Imagine how the poor students must be sitting during peak summers.
— Imtiaz Jaleel (@imtiaz_jaleel) March 9, 2023
All India Majalis E Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Imtiaz Jaleel criticised the allocation of money for various memorials. This amount of ”Rs 1,000 crore” could have been used for improving school infrastructure in rural areas, he said, claiming that there are 1,600 schools in his own Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district which have corrugated iron roofs. ”Imagine how the poor students must be sitting in these schools during peak summer,” he added.
Source: Press Trust of India
