Opposition flays budget as 'directionless'

The Opposition parties flayed the Uttar Pradesh budget for 2010-11, tabled in the state Assembly by Finance Minister Lalji Varma today, terming it as ‘directionless’.

The opposition maintained the annual financial statement of UP did not promise any measures to contain inflation or lead the state to faster economic growth.

“The Budget is disappointing and contains no scheme for the unemployed, farmers, daily wagers and other exploited sections of society,” Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Pramod Tiwari said.

He alleged the Budget only tried to minimise the budgetary deficit of about Rs 10,000 crore through juggling of figures.

“In fact, the budgetary deficit would be in the region of Rs 20,000 crore,” he noted.

Senior BJP leader Hukum Singh censured the Budget saying it had no provision to contain inflation or provide succour to the common man.

Samajwadi Party leader and former state minister Ambika Chaudhary said the budget was merely misrepresentation of facts in the financial statements.

Meanwhile, UP chapter of Assocham said despite being the largest ever annual Budget of the state, there was apparently nothing for the industry in the 2010-11 Budget.

“The Budget has provision of Rs 11,500 crore for PPP projects, mainly power sector and Ganga Expressway. However, UP needs sound infrastructure and mechanism to ensure sincere implementation of policies, without which private investments would not materialise,” Assocham secretary general, S B Agrawal said.