Union Budget is for entire nation and not for polls: Maha CM

In a dig at the Centre,Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said aUnion Budget is meant for the entire country and ''not forpolls''.

Speaking to reporters, Thackeray, however, said hewon't comment on Budget 2021-22, which was presented by UnionFinance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament earlier inthe day, ''in a hurry'' and will speak only after going throughits details.

The Opposition has accused the Centre of allocatingmore funds to some poll-bound states, including West Bengal,eyeing Assembly elections there.

''I won't comment on the Budget in a hurry. I willspeak later. But from what I have heard (about Budgetaryprovisions) so far, the Budget should be for the country andnot for elections. This is the budget of the country and notof polls,'' said Thackeray, who heads Shiv Sena.

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturveditermed the Union budget disappointing, which she claimed hasfailed to address the concerns of the people, includingfarmers as well as entrepreneurs among others.

''The government has yet again overlooked the Aam Jantawhich was the most affected due to the COVID impact and thelockdown,'' Chaturvedi said in a statement.

She said while the Union finance minister has termedthe financial plan 2021-22 as the ''budget of the century'', butunfortunately, it has become the ''blunder of the century whichwill do little to address the concerns of the people of thecountry''.

Chaturvedi said the Budget gives no tax relief to thesalaried class and offers nothing much to women ''except thelip service towards existing schemes''.

''Instead, the budget has set new privatisation targetsand makes manifesto promises to poll-bound states,'' the Senaspokesperson alleged.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra NCP president and stateminister Jayant Patil has termed the Budget ''bad anddisappointing'', which has given ''step-motherly treatment toMaharashtra in allocation of funds while favouring poll-boundstates''.

In his virtual address, Patil said the Centre wassitting on GST refund it owes to Maharashtra.

''Maharashtra's contribution towards GST (Goods andServices Tax) was the highest compared to other states. In2019-20, Maharashtra contributed Rs 1.85 lakh crore in GSTcollection. The state government was expecting that it wouldget something in the Union budget. But, Prime MinisterNarendra Modi is distributing money to other states and notkeen on giving it to Maharashtra. Has Devendra Fadnavis askedNarendra Modi and decided not to help Maharashtra? he asked.

Patil said the Central government is providing fundsto those states which are going to polls.

He also questioned the government on theimplementation of cess on fuel for helping the farm sector.

The NCP leader also questioned the ''silence'' of theUnion finance minister on the security scenario ''amidstChinese intrusion on borders and in the Bay of Bengal''.

''Amid all these concerns, you are not saying anythingabout budgetary allocation for the national security, whichindicates that the Central government is not serious about thenational security,'' he said.

Patil questioned the status of ambitious Smart Cityproject.

Meanwhile, farm activistKishore Tiwari termed thebudget as an ''eyewash'' for agrarian and rural India.

''It is India for sale budget for mega corporatecompanies,'' he alleged.