By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 1 Feb: Leader of the Opposition Yashpal Arya has criticised the Union Budget 2025-26 presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Parliament on Saturday. Arya claimed that the budget is just another attempt to make tall promises without addressing real challenges. He said that despite the government’s claims, unemployment and inflation continue to erode household incomes, and rural distress is deepening. Instead of introducing transformative policies. Arya claimed that the budget ignores the aspirations of millions relying on public services and that concerns also persist over transparency, fiscal deficit targets, and unrealistic revenue projections.
Arya further claimed that the budget appears more like an election manifesto than a well-planned economic strategy. He added that the budget provides no real relief to youth and farmers and that it makes superficial claims on unemployment and inflation, and neglects key sectors like MSMEs, health, education, and MNREGA. The government also remains silent on crucial issues like Minimum Support Price (MSP) and farm loan waivers, while older promises, such as smart cities and medical colleges, remain unfulfilled. He criticised the budget for lacking bold reforms, offering only pre-election incentives with no concrete economic direction.
He pointed out the alleged lack of a roadmap to double farmers’ income and the absence of GST concessions on agricultural goods, despite rising inflation. The MNREGA budget remains unchanged, providing no additional support to workers. Schemes like Start-Up India, Stand-Up India, and Skill India have failed to translate into real employment opportunities.
Arya also warned of a negative impact on economic growth and employment, citing the Rs 92,682 crore reduction in capital expenditure, which could slow infrastructure development and reduce jobs in construction and manufacturing. The health sector, still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, has suffered a budget cut of Rs 1,255 crore, potentially affecting government hospitals, rural health services, and new health schemes. Similarly, a Rs 11,584 crore cut in the education budget could harm India’s future, especially at a time when the New Education Policy (NEP) requires strong financial backing.
Arya claimed that the agriculture sector has taken a hit with a Rs 10,992 crore budget cut, while rural development faces a massive reduction of Rs 75,133 crore, which may impact MNREGA funding and worsen rural unemployment. He added that a Rs 10,019 crore cut in social welfare spending could negatively affect weaker and marginalized sections of society, raising concerns about social justice. Additionally, budget reductions for urban development (Rs 18,907 crore) and Northeast development (Rs 1,894 crore) will delay crucial projects, hindering regional growth and national integration, Arya claimed.
The leader of the Opposition in Uttarakhand also criticised the government for prioritising fiscal deficit reduction over essential public investment, warning that cuts in key sectors will weaken the economy in the long run. He emphasized that the budget fails to strike a balance between financial discipline and development, making it a potential threat to long-term economic stability.
