AIADMK decries Union Budget as 'Bihar Budget'

AIADMK decries Union Budget as 'Bihar Budget'

Tamil Nadu's main opposition AIADMK on Saturday alleged that the Union Budget appeared to be "Bihar Budget," and flayed the Centre for not announcing special schemes for the state.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said the Budget did not have special schemes for states like Tamil Nadu and it appeared to be "Bihar's Budget," rather than the Union Budget as several development schemes have been announced for that state as Assembly election is due there this year.

The Economic Survey says a growth rate that is not less than 8 per cent is needed for over a decade to achieve the goal of a developed Bharat (Viksit Bharat) by 2047, Palaniswami, former Chief Minister said.

However, since the Budget has only increased the exemption limit for personal income tax, it appeared to be a document of "jugglery of words," and increasing growth rate to 8 percent remained a "big question mark." Though substantially increasing the income tax exemption limit was a welcome move, it does not have any special schemes, river water interlinking initiatives, railway schemes and MetroRail plans (Coimbatore and Madurai) for Tamil Nadu. Also, there was nothing to create job opportunities and give a boost to skill development initiatives, he claimed.