BJP welcomes Rajasthan budget; opposition terms it 'disappointing'

Jaipur, Jul 10 (PTI) The ruling BJP on Wednesday welcomed the Rajasthan budget presented by Finance Minister Diya Kumari, calling it a "welfare" budget while the opposition termed it "disappointing".

BJP leaders said every section has been appropriately focused in the budget, whereas Congress leaders said it did not live up to the expectations of the people.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said the BJP government presented the budget keeping in mind the hopes and aspirations of the public.

"The budget is a vision document for how the state will be in 2047. The state government is committed towards providing ample electricity and water. They are the biggest problems. Along with this, the budget has included youths, farmers, women and industry," Sharma said.

He said provisions have been made in the budget to fulfil the expectations of the people and to make the state developed, adding that the government will provide four lakh jobs in five years by filling vacancies. Every year, one lakh jobs will be provided.

"We have laid the foundation of developed Rajasthan through the budget," Sharma said.

Reacting to the budget speech, Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully told reporters, "No provision has been made in the budget for schemes of the previous Congress government which were for the poor. There is no mention of the Indira Rasoi Yojana and the Chiranjeevi Yojana." He alleged there is no clarity whether people will get health insurance benefit under the Chiranjeevi Yojana, in which treatment worth Rs 25 lakh was being given to the people of the state.

He said that nothing has been clarified in the budget about the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) as to whether the OPS will be continued or closed.

Former CM Ashok Gehlot said the previous Congress government had set a target of making Rajasthan number one under Mission 2030.

"I was hopeful that the BJP government will at least work keeping this mission in mind for the betterment of Rajasthan and will bring excellent development schemes. Today, the budget brought by the Rajasthan government does not seem to have anything to do with education, health and social security," Gehlot said in a statement.

Former deputy CM Sachin Pilot said it was expected from the budget that some concrete steps would be taken on the rising inflation and unemployment in the state but it seems that only formality has been done and no concrete steps have been taken.

He alleged the condition of basic facilities, including electricity and water, is bad in the state, especially in the agriculture sector.

The government has announced to give lakhs of jobs to the youth, but the jobs promised by the previous Congress government in the last six months have not been implemented, Pilot said.

Congress state chief Govind Singh Dotasra said that only forts and palaces were talked about in the budget. There was no word about villages, poor, rural areas, and farmers.

"The budget of the BJP government of Rajasthan is completely directionless. The budget speech was full of hollow announcements, false facts and frustration," he said.

He said that there was no effort in the budget to provide an MSP to farmers, reduce agricultural costs, provide relief to the common man from inflation and provide free treatment up to Rs 25 lakh to the poor. The budget neglected important sectors like education and health along with farmers, women, youth, employed and middle class, he added.

BJP leader Rajendra Rathore expressed gratitude to the CM Bhajanlal-led government for the "development-oriented and welfare" state budget 2024-25 which gives a "booster dose" to the state's economy.

He said that the first full-time budget presented by this government will fulfil the aspirations and hopes of the people. This budget will realise the resolutions of Aapno Agrani Rajasthan on the ground and will prove to be a milestone in the overall development of the state by laying the foundation for the creation of a "new and strong Rajasthan". PTI AG SDA MNK MNK