Odisha Budget: BJP, Cong term budget as ‘disheartening’

Both the State units of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have strongly disapproved of the budget presented by the BJD dispensation on Saturday.

They both termed the budget as disheartening while claiming that it has been prepared, keeping the vote bank in view. 

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Sarat Pattanayak said the budget has nothing for farmers and daily labourers. 

“There is nothing what should have been for farmers, backward class people, daily labourers and SC and ST. In the budget, nothing has been done to bring parity with the BPL people living in urban and rural areas. Rather it has been prepared with a focus on the election. 

This type of budget was not expected from a government that has been ruling the State for the last 22 years,” rued Pattanayak.

Echoing the OPCC president’s views, Chief Whip of the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mohan Majhi said, “From the agriculture and farmers' point of view, the budget is nothing to write home about. At a time when farmers are forced to sell their paddy at Rs 500 to 700 less than the MSP set by the central government, schemes like KALIA and BALIA in the budget are only to mislead the farmers. It is prepared with an eye to garner vote bank.

However, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) termed the allegations of the BJP and Congress as baseless. 

‘They are complaining because it is their job to do so,” said School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash.  

“The budget has been prepared laying emphasis on agriculture, education, road communication, women empowerment, etc. If the agriculture sector is considered, the budget outlay for this sector has been hiked by three times. We can say it is a very welcoming people-friendly budget,” Dash added.