Sitharaman, who presented her seventh consecutive budget on Tuesday, emphasized that the centre is legally mandated to support Andhra Pradesh following its bifurcation in 2014.
Budget 2024: In a fresh development amid the nationwide criticism of Union Budget 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has asserted that no state has been overlooked in the 2024 Union Budget. The statement from the Union Minister comes in response to opposition claims that her budget speech this week mentioned only two states – Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, both governed by key BJP allies.
Sitharaman, who presented her seventh consecutive budget on Tuesday, emphasized that the centre is legally mandated to support Andhra Pradesh following its bifurcation in 2014.
“States are receiving allocations as they have in the past… no state has been denied anything. The Act (Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act) requires the centre to support (the state) in building its capital city and developing backward regions,” she explained in her interview with NDTV.
“Several steps have been taken in the last 10 years (and) many other steps, as per the Act, which had to be done have been done. Yes, we will support (the building of the new capital, Amaravati, and the Polavaram irrigation project) … Polavaram should have been completed but there are some technical issues. The state government is seized of the matter,” Sitharaman told.
Budget Ignored Haryana Says Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda
Several Congress MPs from Haryana on Friday protested in Parliament complex for the government’s alleged neglect of the state in the Union Budget and said people will similarly ignore the BJP in the upcoming assembly elections there.
Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda claimed that the Budget has made no provision for Haryana and party colleagues from the state were targeted by Union minister Lalan Singh for raising the issue in the House. Singh asked them to focus on what the Budget has for the country and not Harayana, he said.
“Is Haryana not part of the country? The government has objection even at us making demand for the state. Let me tell them that people will ignore the BJP in the polls in the same manner the Budget has ignored the state,” Hooda said. The assembly polls in the BJP-ruled state are expected to be held in October.
(With inputs from agencies)