Visionless or futuristic? How Indian politicians reacted to Budget 2019

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday presented her maiden Union Budget in the Lok Sabha.

Here is what those in the Indian politics had to say about the 2019 Budget:

Narendra Modi: The budget is citizen-friendly and development-friendly. There is ease of living for people. Country is full of hope.

Home Minister Amit Shah: The budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is a futuristic one. It provides a coherent road map for sectors that will drive growth and innovation among our citizens. The emphasis on clean energy and cashless transactions are also steps in the right direction.

Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani: Union Budget 2019-20 is a blueprint of a "developing nation" and "economy", our government has focused on all the major sectors of our country. Finance Minister proposed pension scheme for the middle class and poor section of the society, they have taken care of the farmers, women, youth, infrastructure sector and the water scarcity problems as well. They have also focused on the betterment of startup companies, job creation for the youth of this country.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan: Budget 2019 was a blow to Kerala with no mention of the long promised sanctioning of an All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences.

The proposed hike in fuel prices is going to hit Kerala the worst. Kerala is a consumer-driven state where most products are transported, so, prices are going to further shoot up. The Centre has not taken a considerate view despite the state requesting it to increase the borrowing limit in the wake of the worst-ever floods that hit the state last year.

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh: The Union Budget "lacked vision" and had nothing to offer to any section of society. It ignored a critical sector like defence and no allocation was made for the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev. The past achievements referred to in the Budget were a testimony to the work done by the previous Congress governments, which the BJP-led NDA government was trying to negate instead of making any meaningful contribution to the nation's progress in the present.

Kapil Sibal, Congress MP: The Budget “vision-less and provision-less.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav: The Union Budget presented in the Lok Sabha is totally directionless and aimless. It has only belied the hopes of the common people. The budget has nothing for the poor, farmers, youths...It is like giving from one hand and taking from the other.

Goa CM Pramod Sawant: Budget fulfils the aspirations of every section of society.

Delhi Congress President Sheila Dikshit: Budget was full of "rhetoric and tokenism". It was a disappointing budget - full of rhetoric and tokenism but devoid of substance. Being the capital of India, Delhi has not been getting its due over the last few budgets.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal: Budget with its exclusive 'Gaon-Garib' focus will be a great fillip to expedite the progress of the poor and middle class of the country.

Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress spokesperson: An utterly lacklustre, nondescript, uninspiring & directionless Budget 2019. Zero on Economic Revival. Zero on Rural Growth. Zero on Job Creation. Zero on Urban Rejuvenation. Can a mundane jugglery of ‘acronyms’ pass off for vision for a ‘New India’?.

Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma: The budget has put its focus also on private entrepreneurship in value addition, particularly in the agriculture sector, which will enable states like Meghalaya and others in the northeastern region, which has envisioned to take agricultural business to its next level.

Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das: This budget is dedicated to the overall development of villages, the poor, farmers and youths of the country.

JMM, executive president Hemanat Soren: Budget has again proved to be a 'jumla'. This budget will provde disastrous for farmers and people of the country. This does not say from where the rupee comes and where it goes.

HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal: The aspirations of all stakeholders in education sector would be met by this budget.

AIMIM lawmaker Asaduddin Owaisi: Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had promised to give scholarship to one crore Muslims students every year. Why was the scholarship not provided in the Union budget?

TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu: The Union Budget was 'disappointing' and was not in accordance with the wishes of the people of Andhra Pradesh. The centre made budgetary allocations to the northeastern States but ignored Andhra Pradesh, which is reeling under severe financial crisis. The budget has badly disappointed the people of the state.

Ashok Gehlot: The Union Budget was against the aspirations of the farmers and youth of the country. There were no efforts made in the budget on the issue of farmers' loans, jobs and price control.

Karnataka CM H D Kumaraswamy: This budget has given a big blow to the States economy by reducing GST state share. For Karnataka, it will be cut down by around Rs 1,600 crore. Cess hike on fuel will also reduce the scope for states to levy cess. Moreover, the fuel price hike will hit everyone directly and indirectly as well.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee: Budget 2019 is completely visionless. The total vision is derailed. On top of it, not only have they imposed cess but also special additional excise duty on petrol and diesel leading to price increase by nearly Rs 2.50/litre for petrol and Rs 2.30/litre for diesel. As a result, price hikes will hit from transport to market to kitchens... This is election prize!.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik: While I welcome higher allocation for sectors like health, education, skill development, drinking water, livelihood, mission, women and children development, the decreased allocation for MGNREGA, core schemes for SC, ST and other vulnerable groups and pension under NSAP is a cause of concern.