MVA government's budget will cause regional imbalance: BJP

The BJP on Friday said the MVA government's budget for 2020-21 will cause regional imbalance in terms of growth and offers nothing new for farmers, youth and women of the state.

The main opposition party said the budget, the first by the Shiv Sena-led government, does not have provisions to make farmers debt-free as promised by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) when it took office in November last year. "There is nothing new for farmers, youth and women in it...There is nothing in it for Vidarbha, Marathwada and North Maharashtra. "There is mention about provisions for Konkan region (in the budget). But there is nothing concrete for the region," Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP told reporters outside the legislature building complex here.

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"Ajit Pawars budget does complete injustice to regions like Vidarbha and Marathwada," he said. Fadnavis termed Finance Minister Ajit Pawar's budget address as "public speech which lacked analysis". He alleged the budget does not have provisions to make farmers debt-free as promised by the MVA and charged the ruling parties with not fulfilling the assurance of helping peasants hit by untimely rains last year.

The former chief minister criticised the government for increasing, by Re 1 per litre, cess on fuel, saying it will have a cascading effect on commoners and result in hike in prices of several services and consumer items. "The finance minister has also made jugglery of numbers as he has not given break up of total outlay into salary and actual proposed expenditure," Fadnavis said. However, he welcomed the government's announcement to relaunch the 'Jalyukta Shivar' water conservation scheme under a new name.

"The scheme was essential (to fight drought). Hence, I welcome that it has been relaunched," said Fadnavis, under whose chief ministerhip the scheme was introduced. Asked about the estimated revenue deficit of Rs 9,510.71 crore, Fadnavis said, Either the revenue deficit would increase further by the end of March or they will cut the capital expenditure to keep it under check." Another BJP leader and former Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said the budget has neither any "arth" (meaning) nor reflects any "sankalp" (resolution).

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