Cong's Chavan says Maha budget one of 'deficit and leak'

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan Tuesday labelled the state government's 2019-20 budget as one of "deficit and leak", claiming it gave no relief to farmers or deprived communities.

Chavan, a former chief minister of the state, termed the budget announcements as "poll gimmicks".

Assembly polls in the state are scheduled for September-October.

Opposition parties, earlier in the day, alleged that budgetary provisions were "leaked" on Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar's official Twitter handle even before he read them out in the House.

"The state's revenue deficit has gone up. Besides, the budget got leaked for the first time in the state's history. Therefore, this one is a budget of deficit and leak," Chavan said in a statement, adding it was the third year in a row that the government had presented a deficit budget.

Chavan said revenue deficit was Rs 15,000 crore last year, which had jumped to Rs 20,292 crore now.

"The budget highlights lack of planning on part of the government to reduce the debt burden," he claimed.

He also hit out at the government for not announcing a complete loan waiver for farmers in view of drought.

Chavan accused the government of hoodwinking the Dhangar community over its quota-related demand, showing it instead the "carrot of budgetary allocation".