Union Budget contains nothing for Bihar, common man: Tejashwi

Patna, Feb 1 () Terming the Union Budget "directionless", the opposition RJD-led mahagathbandhan in Bihar alleged on Saturday that it did not have any words on special package for the state or for the common man.

Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav termed the Centre's budget "directionless" and alleged that it did not mention a word on providing employment opportunities to youths and thus will bring recession.

"The #Budget2020 proves that government is clueless on revenue and employment generation, wealth creation & it's distribution!," Yadav asserted.

"In this budget there are no words on special package, no new initiatives or projects for Bihar. We anticipated a lot for our state since there is a double engine government at helms. This #Budget2020 is a reflection of discriminatory intent of the Modi government towards Bihar," Yadav said in a release.

The Union Budget, presented in Lok Sabha by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will reduce spending power of the common man and will increase disparity, he said, adding that subsidies are getting reduced.

Farmers and the common man are equally unhappy with the budget, the RJD's heir apparent alleged.

"The central government is selling other public sector undertakings on the lines of BSNL, Air India to its favourite capitalists at throwaway prices just to make money for election expenditure," Yadav alleged.

Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi also termed the Union Budget "directionless", anti-poor and anti-youth and alleged that it will not be beneficial for anyone except the capitalists.

Former Bihar chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) president Jitan Ram Manjhi described the Union Budget 2020-21 as a "routine" but "disappointing, visionless and directionless" and said it has not talked about anything concrete to deal with the problems of unemployment, price rise and poverty.

"There is nothing in the budget for poor people...It has not said anything for providing common education for all...It has neither talked anything concrete to deal with the problems of unemployment, price rise nor took any measure to eradicate poverty," Manjhi said.

Former union minister Upendra Kushwaha also criticised the Union Budget 2020-21, saying it is meant for rich people, middlemen and corporate houses.

"#Budget2020 is meant for rich people, middlemen and corporate houses. Problems of unemployment, poverty and hunger will aggravate further with the sale of government undertakings and privatisation. The issues of providing quality education, healthcare facilities at ground level and improving the farmers' lot have not found mention in the budget," he tweeted.

The budget has disappointed the people of Bihar as it does not contain anything for the state which its people were expecting from the NDA's double engine government, Kushwaha alleged.

The BJP, which is the alliance partner of the JD(U) along with the LJP in Bihar's NDA, defended the budget saying the opposition parties are unnecessarily making hue and cry over it and they should take tuition from Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi to understand it.

"They (opposition parties) need to understand the whole budget on a positive note rather than propagating a cynical approach," Bihar BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said.

"I would request opposition leaders in Bihar to find out time and take tuition from Deputy CM Sushil Modi ji, who is holding the charge of finance minister, to understand the economics of the state which has registered 13.2 GDP to remove the Bimaru tag," he added. AR KJ KJ