Chandigarh, Feb 2 (IANS) Describing the Union Budget as being inspired by the egalitarian philosophy of Guru Ravidas Maharaj, Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar on Monday said that it is a concrete step and a strong foundation towards building a “developed India”.
He told the media here that AAP and the Congress, lacking an understanding of economics, have failed to grasp the true spirit of the Budget. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had stated yesterday (Sunday) that cities such as Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Moga, and Ferozepur would benefit from this Budget and that it would accelerate their development.
Jakhar questioned Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, asking when he had met the Prime Minister regarding Punjab’s demands, while making factually incorrect claims that Punjab received nothing from the Budget. He further said that even before the Budget, at a meeting chaired by the Union Finance Minister, Punjab’s Finance Minister did not present any budget proposals or development demands but instead only requested an increase in the state’s borrowing limit.
The state BJP President said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, this Budget will give new momentum to equality and development. He mentioned that during his visit to Dera Balan on Sunday, the Prime Minister elaborated on the positive impact the Budget would have on Punjab. However, he said CM Mann, out of fear of Arvind Kejriwal, avoided meeting the Prime Minister and did not meet him even when he visited Punjab, thereby violating established conventions.
Jakhar said it would have been better if the Chief Minister had met the Prime Minister and placed Punjab’s additional demands before him. Speaking about the Budget proposals, he said Punjab would receive funds for crop diversification or high-value crops only if the state government submits appropriate plans. He said the Government of India has allocated a substantial budget for fisheries, animal husbandry, and fertiliser subsidies.
“The Centre is providing Rs 1.70 lakh crore as fertiliser subsidy, of which Punjab receives a significant share due to its high fertiliser consumption. Similarly, a large portion of the Budget allocated for government procurement of food grains reaches the pockets of Punjab’s farmers.”
He further stated that under the Khelo India initiative, as sports are promoted across the country, the sports goods to be sold will largely be manufactured in Jalandhar and questioned whether this would not benefit the state. Jakhar also said that the agreement between the Government of India and the European Union would greatly benefit Punjab’s MSME, textile, and sports industries.
–IANS
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