Key Points
Budget fails to address unemployment and economic challenges
Apple growers face severe financial constraints
No expansion of rail network proposed
GST compensation cessation hurts state finances
In a statement, he highlighted several key areas of concern and called for immediate revisions to address the needs of the wider population of his state.
The Chief Minister said the Budget has once again failed to address the pressing issues that plague the country, particularly unemployment, poverty and rising prices.
He said the apple growers, who contribute significantly to the state’s economy, are facing severe financial constraints and this Budget "offers no measures to alleviate their struggles or increase the import duties on apples, which would have provided much-needed relief".
Sukhu said unfortunately the Budget "fails to address the issue of expansion of rail network in Himachal Pradesh. A robust rail network is essential for economic growth, yet it remains overlooked".
He said the allocation for interest-free loans of states of Rs 1.5 lakh crore has not been increased and the tough conditions attached to it do not favour small states like Himachal Pradesh due to cost disabilities. He said the cessation of GST compensation has put Himachal Pradesh in a precarious financial position, resulting in an annual loss that the state can ill afford. He said a special financial package is urgently needed to mitigate this loss and support the state’s fiscal stability. The absence of such a package in the Budget is a significant setback, he added.
The Chief Minister said the benefits to the middle class in the form of income tax rebates have come too late in the day as the benefits of the new direct structure may just be used to rebuild the savings eroded during earlier years rather than giving a push to consumption and demand. "It's an anti-poor Budget, not futuristic. It is a total opportunistic budget," Sukhu said.
