NDA constituents in TN welcome Union Budget; Oppn slams it

: NDA constituents in Tamil Nadu, including the AIADMK on Saturday welcomed the Union budget, but the opposition, led by the DMK, lashed out at its various proposals.

While Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami lauded the budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, DMK President and state Leader of Opposition M K Stalin said the annual exercise did not address issues like the economic slowdown and unemployment.

Actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan used the 'halwa' analogy to say that the budget lacked solutions, alluding to a popular usage in Tamil Nadu.

Palaniswami, also the AIADMK Joint Coordinator, welcomed the various announcements made by Sitharaman in sectors like infrastructure, water management and manufacturing and lauded the Centre for not imposing any "tax burden on the common man."
He also lauded the significant allocations made to the Education, Infrastructure and Health sectors and welcomed proposals like the Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway and the tax sops "that will attract investments."
Haasan, founder of MNM, referring to the halwa preparation ceremony ahead of the budget exercise, said "the budget has ended with halwa for the people."