Punjab govt, Haryana Oppn say Budget 2026 has nothing for farmers

Punjab, a non-BJP ruled state, and the Opposition in Haryana on Sunday expressed disappointment over the Union Budget, saying the Centre has once again failed to live up to the farmers expectations. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the budget neither had any announcement regarding the minimum support price for farmers, nor did it provide any relief for industry and in taxes.

Punjab, a non-BJP ruled state, and the Opposition in Haryana on Sunday expressed disappointment over the Union Budget, saying the Centre has once again failed to live up to the farmers' expectations. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the budget neither had any announcement regarding the minimum support price for farmers, nor did it provide any relief for industry and in taxes. ''The central government's budget once again fell short of Punjab's expectations. This budget made no concrete announcements on MSP for farmers...youth. ''No concrete steps were taken in this budget to strengthen Punjab's economy. As always, Punjab and Punjabis were treated step-motherly. The people of Punjab are hardworking and enthusiastic. Together, we will ensure Punjab stands firmly on its feet again,'' said Mann in a post on X in Punjabi. Partap Singh Bajwa, who is the leader of the opposition in the Punjab assembly, also said there was no relief for Punjab farmers and nothing was announced for the state youth in the Budget. ''Budget 2026-27 confirms Punjab has been completely forgotten. No relief for 'Annadata' farmers, no jobs roadmap for our youth, no plan for industry or cities. Big words changed, ground reality unchanged-''reforms'' that never arrive,'' said Bajwa in a post on X. The Union Budget 2026-27 was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha on Sunday. Sitharaman, while presenting her ninth consecutive budget, announced that the target for capex will be raised to Rs 12.2 lakh crore for FY27 from Rs 11.2 lakh crore earmarked for the current fiscal year. She also announced a slew of measures to boost infrastructure in the country, including in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. The Opposition in Haryana also slammed the Budget, alleging that the state has been ignored. The budget came in the backdrop of global uncertainties, trade frictions and US tariffs and slowdown in exports. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala wrote, ''Haryana is nowhere to be seen in #Budget2026!'' He said only a token gesture has been made in the budget, as he referred to Rakhigarhi in Haryana's Hisar district, which the Union Finance Minister said in her speech, is among the 15 archaeological sites across the country to be developed into vibrant, experiential cultural destinations. Congress' Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda claimed Haryana ''is once again missing from the Union Budget''. ''Just like the last 12 years, Haryana has once again been left empty-handed in the Union Budget. Why is the BJP central government treating Haryana so unfairly? While Haryana contributes the highest GST collection and toll tax revenue in the country, its share in the budget remains zero!,'' Deepender said in a post on X. Senior Congress leader and Sirsa MP Kumari Selja said that the people of Haryana had hoped that today's Union Budget would bring them some relief and address ''the state's real problems''. ''But, as usual, the BJP government completely ignored Haryana. This budget neither included any concrete provisions for the farmers of Haryana, nor did it present any clear plan for creating employment opportunities for the unemployed youth,'' Selja, a former Union Minister, said in a post on X.

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