West Bengal Governor and Chief Minister at Odds Over Union Budget 2024-25

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose praised the Union Budget 2024-25 as a pro-people initiative, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized it as politically motivated and anti-people. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her seventh consecutive budget, highlighting priorities such as agriculture, employment, and economic growth.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose described the Union Budget 2024-25 on Tuesday as pro-people and a golden opportunity for the Bengal government to effectively utilize the funds allocated by the Centre without diverting them for unauthorized purposes. 'This Union Budget has come up as a big boon for West Bengal. This is a pro-people budget. As far as Bengal is concerned, it is a youth-friendly budget,' Governor Bose said.

Earlier in the day, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee slammed the Union Budget 2024-25, calling it politically motivated, directionless, and anti-people. 'Directionless, anti-people, no vision, only political mission is there. I don't see any light, it is dark,' Banerjee criticized.

Banerjee contended that the Budget is anti-people, anti-poor, and politically biased. 'This Budget is anti-people, anti-poor, and not for the common people. This is a Budget to appease one party. This is a Budget full of political biases,' she alleged.

Banerjee also rebuked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for making false promises during elections and not fulfilling them once in power. 'They make tall claims and promises during elections. But after they get votes, they forget Darjeeling, Kalimpong. People in the hills of Darjeeling should remember this. Let Sikkim get things, we have no objection, but keeping Darjeeling deprived is not right,' she said. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her seventh consecutive Union Budget 2024-25 today, marking a historic moment as she became the first finance minister to present seven consecutive budgets, surpassing former Prime Minister Morarji Desai's record.

In her budget speech, Sitharaman outlined key priorities aimed at fostering economic growth and creating ample opportunities, focusing on productivity and resilience in agriculture, employment and skilling, and services. She listed nine priority areas: inclusive human resource development and social justice, manufacturing and services, urban development, energy security, infrastructure, innovation, research and development, and next-generation reforms.

Sitharaman also introduced an increased standard deduction and revised tax rates for salaried individuals under the new tax regime, along with significant income-tax reforms aimed at simplifying tax laws, promoting compliance, and fostering economic growth. She proposed the creation of employment for approximately 41 million youth over the next five years, with an allocation of Rs 2 lakh crore. Additionally, she proposed Rs 1.48 crore for skilling citizens, with a target of training 2 million youth over five years and upgrading 1,000 industrial training institutes.