BJP says Budget pro-poor and development-oriented

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 29: BJP Assam Pradesh has termed the Union Budget for 2016 tabled in the Lok Sabha by Fince Minister Arun Jaitley today as a development-oriented, pro-poor, common people-friendly and dymic Budget.

Addressing the press in the city today, State BJP spokesperson Jayanta Malla Baruah said that the Budget laid stress on the poor, and could be termed a poor-friendly Budget. The budget proposal, according to him, has been built on transformative agenda with nine pillars – agriculture and farmers welfare with a focus on doubling farmers income in five years; rural sector with focus on employment; education, skills and job creations to make India a productive society; infrastructure and investment to enhance efficiency and quality of life; fincial Sector reforms through governce and easing of doing business; and fiscal discipline like tax reforms.

On Assam Chief Minister’s response to the Union Budget, Baruah said that ‘it is too early for someone to completely understand and conclude the briefings provided in the Budget and it is customary on behalf of the Chief Minister to pass an insignificant remark’. He also said that as 80 per cent of the population of the state depends upon agriculture, the Budget brings in a lot of good news for the people of Assam. He also mentioned that 5 lakh acre of land is to be brought under organic farming and greater emphasis will be laid on Assam as the Prime Minister himself stated that Assam will be the organic farming hub of the country.

Mocking at the Congress, Baruah brought out the Budget allocation during the UPA regime in 2013-14 which was Rs 27,049 crore and escalated to Rs 35,984 crore in the current Budget, clearly showing the importance of agriculture in the present Budget.

Baruah stated a few points like LPG connections to be provided under the me of women members of family, Rs 2,000 crore allocated for 5 years for BPL families; Rs 2.87 lakh crore grants to gram panchayats and municipalities a quantum jump of 228 per cent; Rs 55,000 crore for roads and highways, a total allocation for road construction including PMGSY Rs 97,000 crore. He also stated that 100 km of road will be constructed daily. The spokesperson highlighted the Union Minister’s emphasis on LPG connections to each household under BPL as the 1 hour use of fire wood stove is equivalent to the smoke generated by 400 cigarettes. He also made mention of HRD Minister declaring that 14 voda Vidyalayas to be set up in the tea garden areas in Assam.