'North India ignored': Opposition complains of a 'political budget with an eye on polls'

After Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Union Budget 2021 on Monday, opposition Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill tweeted: "Finance Minister, not surprisingly, announces special road projects and allocation for Kerala, West Bengal and Assam. Is the budget economy revival document or voter wooing ticket? Hope promises made to Kerala, WB and Assam do not meet the same fate of Bihar special package and free vaccine for all."

He was referencing the budgetary allocation of Rs 25,000 crore road projects in West Bengal, Rs 65,000 crore road and highway projects in Kerala, Rs 3,400 crore for Assam, and 3500kms of National Highway project in Tamil Nadu. All of these states are going to polls soon.  

One criticism of the budget, levelled by the opposition, was that the document ignored non-BJP states, and was political in its approach to poll-bound states. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday flayed the budget, saying it reflects the Centre's persistent efforts to sideline non-BJP ruled states. He claimed that the budget was reflective of the BJP-led Central government's apathy towards the common man, the middle class and farmers. He criticised the Centre for the step-motherly treatment meted out to Punjab and other northern states, claiming that it was "designed" to cater to the poll-bound states of West Bengal and South India with a massive infrastructure development allocation for these regions.

"The budget also manifests the Central government's persistent efforts to sideline non-BJP states like ours, as well as its anti-federal mindset," said the CM, pointing to the gap between the fiscal deficit targets fixed for the Union government and states.

The same sentiment was reflected by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), an erstwhile BJP ally: "The entire northern India has been ignored. Why? Because it is not going to the polls. States that are going to polls are given sops. Just like the maximum Padma awardees came from five states going to polls," Badal claimed.

The BJP in the Centre, however, hailed the budget as a vision for an 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'. In a televised message after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it has many provisions for the agriculture sector, including for making loans easier for farmers. BJP president J.P. Nadda lauded the budget for being "all-inclusive", touching every section of society.

How did the ruling and opposition parties in different states react?

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami welcomed several announcements made in the budget. Palaniswami said the budget has many welcome provisions, especially beneficial to the state. In a statement, he appreciated announcements like the allocation of Rs 35,000 crore for COVID-19 vaccination drive. The implementation of 3,500km of national highway work in Tamil Nadu will boost the state's economy, he said. He also gave the thumbs up for the port development scheme, proposals in transport sector such as purchase of 20,000 new buses, and scholarship for Adi Dravida students.

However, Stalin, the leader of opposition in state assembly, alleged the Centre had 'ignored' Tamil Nadu for the last six years and had given an impression in this budgetary exercise that it was implementing mega schemes for the state. "Like showing a mirage to a thirsty cow, the Central government has given an illusionary lollipop to the people of Tamil Nadu with an eye on polls," he said in a statement.

He hinted there was no firm commitment on proposals, such as second phase of Metro Rail and 3,500km of highway work and said the Centre had not paid heed to Palaniswami's earlier pleas for assistance in the wake of cyclones Nivar and Burevi. He questioned the Centre's announcement on implementing the Salem-Chennai highway corridor, saying the BJP seemed to say it was against farmers' welfare even in an election year in the state.

Maharashtra

The ruling Shiv Sena said Maharashtra was ignored in the Union Budget, while its allies NCP and Congress termed the annual financial plan as disappointing amidst the coronavirus pandemic and a move towards privatisation. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said: "Maharashtra is not seen in this budget". To a question whether some states have received more allocations considering upcoming polls there, Raut said in that case, the financial plan cannot be called as a national budget, but that of a political party. "For the past several years, people like us have been trying to find Maharashtra in Union budget. But Maharashtra is not seen in it," he told reporters.

However, BJP leader and former CM Devendra Fadnavis welcomed the provisions of Rs 2,092 crore for Nashik metro and of Rs 5,976 crore for the Phase 2 of Nagpur metro. He stated that both the proposals for metro were moved during the BJP's tenure in Maharashtra. "In today's #AatmanirbharBharatKaBudget GoI made a provision of 2092 crore for Nashik Metro. Thank you Hon PM @narendramodi ji , Hon FM @nsitharaman ji! Nagpur Metro Phase-2 too got 5976 crore. Both these proposals were sent during our tenure of Maharashtra government," Fadnavis tweeted. 

Telangana

The opposition Congress and CPI(M) in Telangana on Monday slammed the budget for neglecting the state. State Congress president and Lok Sabha member N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said more allocations were made for election-bound states like West Bengal and Tamil Nadu while others were neglected. The BJP government at the Centre has failed to ensure equitable distribution of resources among all states, he said. "This is a wrong practice and if it continues, then the states would get new projects and funds only during election years," he said. "All the four BJP MPs from Telangana, including state BJP president Bandi Sanjay, should be ashamed of themselves for having failed to get a single rupee for Telangana in the budget. They should now stop making tall claims and fake promises with regard to the state," Reddy said.

Andhra Pradesh

Political parties across the spectrum, including the ruling YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh, lambasted the Union Budget, saying it contained nothing for the state. While neighbouring Tamil Nadu got Rs 1.03 lakh crore worth road projects, AP drew a blank, the leaders pointed out. The Centre's decision to spend Rs 35,000 crore for the COVID-19 vaccination programme was the sole satisfying point in the whole budget, the YSRC said.

The main opposition Telugu Desam Party, on the other hand, blasted the YSRC for 'mortgaging' the state's interests to the Centre and drawing a blank for AP in the Union Budget.

The Congress called the budget a "shock to the middle class and the poor". 

Rajasthan

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the budget focused on five election-bound states and did not contain any concrete measures to address the issue of unemployment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, reported The Hindu. “The entire focus of the budget is on the states of West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, which are going to polls. It seems to be more a five electoral states’ budget rather than the Union Budget,” he said, reported the publication.

Delhi

The Delhi government on Monday accused the Centre of step-motherly treatment to the national capital in the budget, and claimed the it was aimed at benefitting few big companies. "This budget is aimed at benefiting few big companies. It will increase inflation and problems for the public," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Delhi continues to get step-motherly treatment from the Central government. "The Union Budget is a vision document of any government and spells out its economic agenda for the next financial year. This year there was great anticipation around it, and people of Delhi had high hopes from the Central government that justice would finally be done to them, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic which has devastated lives of many people," he said.

"Delhi continues to get step motherly treatment from the government of India. The grant in lieu of share in central taxes provided in the Union Budget 2021-22 has been kept unchanged for two decades at Rs 325 crore. The total grants, loans and transfers from government of India to Delhi has been reduced from Rs 1,116 crore to Rs 957 crore," he added.

BJP reacts

Senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said this budget is for an Aatmanirbhar Bharat and will strengthen the economy.

Underlining that drafting the budget during the coronavirus pandemic was a complicated task, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the government has given an "all-inclusive" budget under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan commended the budget, saying the allocation of Rs 35,000 crore for COVID-19 vaccines and the commitment to provide further support will help end this pandemic and expedite economic recovery. He hailed the "visionary leadership" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "prudence" of Sitharaman "for taking us closer to health For all".

-Inputs from agencies