Budget is more of poll manifesto, disappointing: Opposition

Opposition parties Tuesday dubbed the budget presented by the BJP-led Maharashtra government as "disappointing", saying it is full of pre-election populist announcements. Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar presented a budget with a revenue deficit of Rs 20,292.94 crore in the Assembly.

"The government used this opportunity to make populist announcements ahead of elections...the right place to make such announcements is a manifesto, not budget. We are disappointed," Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan told reporters. The Maharashtra Assembly polls are due in October.

The government should have instead presented an account of what it plans to do for the next few months before the election, the former chief minister said. Citing the latest Economic Survey he said there was a decline in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors.

"The investment in Maharashtra has gone down," Chavan added. State NCP chief Jayant Patil said the budget had nothing constructive.

"Nothing is provided for the welfare of women, tribals, Dalits and minorities. How can construction of roads and bridges alone be regarded as development?" Patil, a former finance minister, asked. Patil's party colleague and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said farmers needed a complete loan waiver but the budget ignored them.

The government has also side-stepped the Dhangar community's demand of quota by announcing Rs 1,000 crore for development of the community through 22 schemes, Munde alleged. "This budget is disappointing from farmers' and youths' point of view. It offers nothing new and regurgitates old schemes," he said.

The budget also did not make any provision for the Shivaji Memorial which is to be constructed off Mumbai coast, he said.