Sitharaman's absence from key pre-budget meet shocking: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said the absence of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and representatives of various sections of the society from the meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for pre-budget consultation was shocking. "It is astonishing that neither the Finance Minister was involved in the pre-budget discussion that Prime Minister Modi was holding nor were the representatives of different sections of society affected by the wrong policies of the government," Gehlot tweeted.

Gehlot further wrote, "She should have listened to the problems of farmers, laborers, unemployed youth and small traders." Prime Minister Modi had held a meeting with more than 30 industry experts and economists in New Delhi on Thursday about the steps to be taken to improve the economy along with development and employment.