New Delhi, (Samajweekly) Bihar’s opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Monday described the Union Budget 2021-22 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as “visionless” and said it does not meet the expectations of the people of the country.
RJD Rajya Sabha member Manoj Jha said, “I will say that this is not the Budget for the common people. This Budget has been made for a few people and a blueprint is being prepared to hand over all the resources to some select corporates.”
He also urged the government to reconsider the Budget.
Taking a jibe at the government over the announcement of hike in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in insurance sector from 49 per cent to 74 per cent, Jha said, “As FDI has been allowed up to 74 per cent in insurance sector, then this is the new definition of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self reliant India). If Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi) looks at the definition of this new self-reliant India then he also must be feeling sorry.”
The RJD leader also targeted the government for not giving anything to Bihar in the Budget and announcement for the poll-bound states, he said that the government has shown some sympathy towards those states.
“They have shown some sympathy for the states in which elections are due whereas the fact is that they don’t have any feelings for these states. I feel sorry that elections in Bihar happened earlier as there is nothing for Bihar in the Budget as no special package has been announced for the state,” he said.
He accused the Centre of making Bihar a “labour supply” state.
“I assume that it is the biggest example of visionlessness. And from this it has been proved that our demands are nowhere listened to. From middle class to lower class there is nothing for them. There is no blueprint for any sector who can think of revival.I think it is a kind of a Budget in which there are many words and high sounding words but there is no feeling as there is no way to provide relief to people,” he said.
Jha also urged the government to reconsider the Budget or else it will finish the PSUs and properties of the government.
Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) also said the Union Budget failed to meet the expectations of the salaried people and also the expectations of Bihar.
RLSP national General Secretary Madhaw Anand told IANS, “Due to Covid pandemic the economy of the world has been in a bad shape. The Finance Minister has tried her best to touch all sectors. But there are many things which should have been there.”
He said that the salaried class of the country had very high expectations but nothing has been announced for them.
He said, “We are from Bihar, and all parties have demanded special economic package for the state, but nothing has been announced.”
The reactions of the two leaders came hours after Sitharaman on Monday presented the Union Budget 2021-22 in Parliament.
