Budget aims at creating greenery in a desert: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday described the budget placed in the Assembly by Finance minister Amit Mitra as an exercise "to create greenery in a desert". "The budget can be described as an attempt to grow trees in a desert, to create greenery in a desert," Banerjee told reporters here.

She said the previous Left Front government had made the state financially bankrupt by indiscriminate borrowings from the Centre.

"After coming to power which had started from negative in terms of finance, we have aimed to generate revenue within our limited means," she said. The budget was prepared keeping in mind the ground realities which the state was facing, she said adding, "It is a budget for all."

The state budget for 2013-14 also increased lower and upper rates of VAT by one per cent each to mobilise additional resources.

Tax rates on tobacco-related products and cigarettes were also raised from 20 per cent to 25 per cent. The budget has increased the plan expenditure on MNREGA from Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 4,000 crore. Health, school education and higher education sectors also saw higher outlays at Rs 1,260 crore, Rs 3,203 crore and Rs 270 crore. The budget also focused on the development of minorities and backward classes.