By Our Staff Reporter
Bhararisain, 16 Mar: Speaking on the budget presented yesterday by the BJP Government in the House, Leader of the Opposition Yashpal Arya described it as disappointing.
Arya said that many of the important sectors had been allocated less funds as compared to the previous budget. These he claimed included sectors like education and health. Arya said that even the implementation of the budget in the current financial year has been poor. In many departments not even half of the budget has been utilised.
Haldwani MLA Sumit Hridayesh also criticised the budget, claiming it to be inadequate when compared to the actual need. He said that, when his mother, Indira Hridayesh, was the minister, roads of Haldwani were shining but now they are full of potholes. He described the allocation to the PWD as grossly inadequate but thanked the government for approving the drainage plan for Haldwani. Many other Congress leaders including Pritam Singh, Bhuwan Kapri also criticised the budget and its implementation.
Outside the House, PCC Chief Karan Mahra today addressed a press conference in Dehradun criticising the budget. Mahra said that this budget shows how heavy the burden of debt is on the state. The state is having to pay just the interest of Rs 6161 crores on the debt. He said that the tourism budget of Rs 302 crore is insufficient in a tourism-oriented state. Giving a budget of only Rs 63 crores to the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Corporation shows how casual is the present government with respect to developing tourism in the state.
