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No announcements in Budget for Rajasthan; BJP
taking revenge for losing 11 LS seats, says Cong.
Centre tried to mollify only those States where the National Democratic Alliance’s partners are in power, says Opposition; State needed special package, but its name did not even come up in the speech, says former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot
With the Union Budget making no announcements for Rajasthan, the Opposition Congress in Rajasthan on Tuesday accused the Narendra Modi government of taking revenge on the State for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s defeat in 11 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
The Congress said the Centre had tried to mollify only those States where the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance’s partners were in power.
‘Disappointing’
Leaders cutting across political parties, who were expecting an announcement on giving national project status for the ambitious Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP), were left disappointed. However, the allocation of ₹2,05,250 crore to the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana will ensure continuance of free foodgrain distribution to 4.46 crore beneficiaries in the State.
Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Singh Dotasra said the NDA government was working “only to save itself” without regard for the weaker sections of society.
“The Centre has neglected our State as an act of revenge for the BJP’s loss in 11 Lok Sabha seats,” Mr. Dotasra said. He also accused Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhwat of failing to get any provision for the State’s tourism sector in the Budget.
“As the Jal Shakti Minister in his previous tenure, Mr. Shekhawat had failed to secure any package for drinking water in western Rajasthan or any support from the Centre for the ERCP,” he said.
‘Completely neglected’
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Tika Ram Jully said the Centre had allocated ₹26,000 crore to Bihar and ₹15,000 crore to Andhra Pradesh, while completely neglecting Rajasthan, where the BJP claims to have a double-engine government.
Former CM Ashok Gehlot said the Centre had handed over the country’s Budget to only two States for “political reasons”.
“Rajasthan needed a special package, but the State’s name did not even come up in the speech. During the [2023] Assembly election, no speech of the PM ended without the misleading claim of double-engine development,” Mr. Gehlot said in a post on X, while describing the Budget as “directionless”.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, who watched the live telecast at his office in the Secretariat here, said the “public welfare Budget” would pave the way for making India a five-trillion-dollar economy.
“This Budget represents a vision for a developed India, a firm resolve towards Antyodaya, and a road map to make the country the pioneer of global development,” he said.
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