Union Budget 2023 is a roadmap to make India a developed nation by 2047, says former Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], February 1 (ANI): Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has described the 2023 Union Budget as a roadmap to make India a developed nation by 2047. Singh has said that it is the budget of a middle class family.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday presented her fifth budget which she described as ‘the first budget in Amrit Kaal.’ Former CM Singh on Wednesday told the media persons, “There are seven priorities in the budget which include inclusive development, last man access, infrastructure and development, developing own potential, green development, youth power, and financial sector. No sector remained untouched in this first budget of Amrit Kaal, this budget has brought a better tomorrow for every class and every sector.”

“Today the whole world is looking towards India, how a nation can maintain a great economy in the midst of a global recession. ‘Sabka Saath and Sabka Vikas’ is the basic spirit of this budget,” Singh added.

On the other hand, Chhattisgarh Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey has claimed that overall the budget is disappointing. There is nothing for farmers, women and youth in the budget.

Minister Choubey said, “The people of the nation have a lot of expectations from the budget, but we have seen that in this budget, the Finance Minister has not said anything in terms of any additional schemes or benefits. Only one thing is being discussed everywhere that the income tax limit has been increased from Rs 5 lakhs to Rs 7 lakhs. If anyone calculates it in this era of rising inflation then I think the limit should have been to Rs 7 lakh, but if it was doubled, then the general and middle class people would have got some benefit of it.”

“Chhattisgarh has more interest in the field of agriculture, I was hoping that when there is discussion in the country about Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, there would be some increment in it. But unfortunately, even after increasing the size of the budget, not a single penny is increased in the Kisan Samman Nidhi. The farmers are saddened by this,” he said.

The minister added that the announcements made by the Central Government that the report of the Swaminathan Commission would be implemented, the income in agriculture would be doubled, inflation would be brought down, farmers would be given relief in fertilisers and other things, all these things were nowhere in the budget.

“It is a matter of great pride for Chhattisgarh that the Millet Mission was started here, for which the Central Government has now announced additional funds. Although we already buy Kodo, Kutki, and Ragi at the minimum support price, the Central Government did not say anything about it. In relation to organic and natural farming, the central government has said that there will be continuous expansion in the field of agriculture. We already started work on it immediately after the formation of our government in Chhattisgarh. We have put 25 lakh quintals of vermicompost in the farms. Such large scale organic farming is not done anywhere in the whole country. I am happy that we have started this scheme in Chhattisgarh,” the minister said.

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned in her speech that cow dung and cow urine would also be made a source of income for the poor people of the country. We are fortunate that it has been two years since this work was started in Chhattisgarh, he added.

Talking about the benefit that Chhattisgarh gets from the Union Budget, Choubey said, “I feel that the share of Chhattisgarh should be increased in the budget continually. If Chhattisgarh is not getting the benefit, then it may be politically motivated. It is unfortunate that we are a producer state, coal, iron and cement which you (central government) are talking about, we supply the whole country. We should get additional share in GST, we should get our compensation, but despite constant demands from the Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, the central government cuts our share.” (ANI)