BJD MP Sujeet Kumar highlights that the States of Andhra Pradesh and Bihar received what he calls a “budget bonanza.”
He offers examples: Rs. 26,000 crore have been granted to Bihar for road projects, while Rs. 15,000 crore this fiscal and the next have been granted to Andhra Pradesh for development of the capital city of Amravati. He also points out that the government has promised support for loans from multilateral agencies for Bihar and AP.
The Finance Minister also announced a backward region grant for three districts of Odisha, he says, but adds that other regions of Odisha are equally backward as these districts.
We don’t grudge this budget bonanza for Bihar and AP, we are happy they have gotten budgetary support, he says. “But why step motherly treatment for the other States?” he questions.
He also questions the lack of an adequate focus on R&D, education, food and nutrition in the Union Budget, among other issues. He also says that we should spend at least 3% of our Budget on defense.