Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today described the budget as "disappointing and disheartening" for the people of the state while the opposition BJP hailed the budget as "historic", saying it aimed at boosting growth and reviving the housing sector while giving relief to income tax payers.
"It seems to be the budget of mere promises and commitments in which interests of the common man, who had high expectations from the budget, have been completely ignored," Singh said, adding that the budget has failed to come up to the expectations of the people, reeling under impact of demonetisation.
He said there was nothing for the farmers and unemployed youth in the budget and nothing much has been offered to lower and middle class as employees were expecting much relief after revision in pay scales.
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Singh said it was "unfortunate" that Himachal Pradesh had been again ignored in the rail budget and no mention had been made of strategically important Bilaspur- Bhanupali-Leh rail link.
However, the chief minister welcomed the step to reduce the limit for anonymous cash donation to political parties from Rs20,000 to Rs 2,000.
Describing the budget as "historic, courageous and balanced", former chief minister and Leader of Opposition, Prem Kumar Dhumal said the "Finance minister has presented a growth-oriented dream budget which wouldgo a long way in fulfilling the cherished dreams of farmers, horticulturists, youth, middle class, dalits and oppressed sections of the society."
Terming the steps taken by the finance minister without increasing the deficit as "laudable", Dhumal said that"it would go a long way in strengthening the economy, increasing the pace of development and reducing poverty."
Dhumal said that cut in income tax rates for people with income upto Rs 5-lakh was very appreciable.
He also hailed the proposal to limit cash donations to political parties to Rs 2,000 and said that it would bring "transparency".
The BJP MP from Hamirpur, Anuarg Thakur thanked the government for launching skill acquisition and knowledge awareness initiative and said that the special scheme for creating employment in leather/footwear sector will impact the economy positively.
Asserting that the budget has many firsts to its credit, he said, "The budget 2017-18 is path breaking and one of its kind with initiatives that will have a positive bearing on people and the economy and the merger of railway budget with the union budget for the first time since independence is itself a milestone."
"The element of introducing transparency in political funding and thereby entitling the parties to receive donations by cheques or digital mode above Rs 2,000 amount is also a revolutionary step, taken for the first time by any government," Thakur said.
"The establishment of a national agency to conduct entrance exams for higher education and reforms in the UGC will certainly allow more autonomy to colleges," he added.
Meanwhile, the state secretariat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) termed the budget as an agenda for "mounting burden" on the common man, saying, "At a time when the common people in India are reeling under the disastrous impacts of demonetization, the Finance Minister has come out with a budget which riddled with contradictions would increase the sufferings of the people."
"The demonetisation has resulted in large unutilized industrial capacity, with core industries like automobiles, cement, steel, paper, aluminium and fertilizers having been hardest hit, and massive unemployment," a CPI(M) release said.
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