Anti-poor budget: Naidu

Terming the annual Budget as anti-poor, the leader of the opposition N Chandrababu Naidu accused the Congress government of cheating the people for not including several of its election promises.

Addressing a media conference soon after the Budget presentation was over, Naidu criticised the state government for cutting down expenditure in social sectors.

"Many promises like credit to farmers and DWCRA women at 3 per cent rate of interest, subsidy on gas cylinders for BPL families have found no mention in the Budget. The government stopped collecting user charges on one side and has reduced the allocations to health sector on the other hand. Will this really help the poor," he questioned.

Naidu has also objected to the higher revenue projections in excise duty. "When the Congress promised to remove belt-shops (retail chain run by wine shops) how can the government project higher receipts? That means they are going to act contrary to what they told during elections. This is nothing but cheating," he said.