Jaipur, Feb 1 (IANS) Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra has termed the Union Budget ‘extremely disappointing,’ alleging that despite Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma’s frequent visits to Delhi, Rajasthan has not received a single rupee in the budget.
Speaking to the media at his residence in Sikar, Dotasra said the Chief Minister visited Delhi nearly 60 times over the past two years but failed to secure any special package or financial allocation for the state.
“Even if a slip of paper like the ones distributed during the Assembly elections had been given along with the budget, there would have been something written on it. This time, there is absolutely nothing for Rajasthan,” he remarked.
Dotasra said the budget offers no relief to the poor, Dalits, backward classes, backward regions, or rural areas. He alleged that sectors crucial to Rajasthan’s development have been completely ignored.
“Rajasthan has immense potential in tourism, but there is no special tourism package. We demanded a mission on the lines of the Jal Jeevan Mission, but there is nothing. There is no announcement for ERCP, Managarh Dham, tourism, or water-related projects,” he said.
The state Congress chief also pointed out that despite repeated references by the Prime Minister and Chief Minister to projects such as NCRP and other national initiatives, none found mention in the budget. “Announcements were made in Rajasthan, but nothing has translated into allocations,” he added.
Criticising the budget further, Dotasra said government employees were expecting relief in income tax slabs, but no changes were announced. He also expressed concern over unemployment, water scarcity, and rising financial stress.
“The Centre talked about providing employment to two crore people annually, but there is no concrete announcement on jobs,” he said.
Referring to the stock market reaction, Dotasra claimed the budget failed to meet public expectations. “If the market falls after a budget, it clearly shows people’s disappointment. Farmers were promised doubled incomes, but their burden has doubled instead,” he said.
Taking a dig at BJP leaders praising the budget, Dotasra said they were doing so to please the high command and protect their positions.
“They will talk about India becoming a developed nation by 2047, but who has seen 2047? Today, people are unemployed, employees are distressed, and salaries do not last even 15 days,” he said.
Dotasra further alleged that the budget favoured states heading into elections, while Rajasthan was ignored, as there are no elections for the next three years. “Rajasthan contributes GST and has a rightful claim to central funds, but this budget has given the state nothing,” he said.
–IANS
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