Senior Congress leader Prithviraj
Chavan on Friday praised the Maha Vikas Aghadi government's budget but pointed out that it had no special provisions to encourage industries in the state.
He also said the country's economy was facing a crisis due to the wrong policies of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.
Chavan lauded Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also hold the Finance portfolio, for a budget that did justice to all sections of society, and for also admitting, while presenting the budget, that there were problems.
"One thing I feel is there is no special provision to encourage industries. The tax on electricity tariff has been reduced, but that will not give much relief," Chavan told reporters outside the state legislature building here.
He observed that no new investment was coming to Maharashtra and hence no new employment was being generated in the state.
"We will have to face the consequences of the crisis we are faced with due to the wrong policies of the Centre. We will need to find a way out. We will need to make substantial provisions in the next few days for the growth of industries," he said.
He claimed industrial estates were shutting in parts of the state and called for getting to the root of the problem to attract investment.
"The Centre will have to take some steps. It is not that Maharashtra government alone will have to do everything. We will need to take concrete steps," he added.
Praising Pawar, Chavan said the latter presented the budget at a time when the country was grappling with economic slowdown, social instability and a health crisis (caused by coronavirus), problems from which, he added, Maharashtra cannot remain untouched.
He accused the Centre of not giving Maharashtra its due share of Goods and Service Tax (GST).
"Hence, Maharashtra had these limitations while presenting the budget. The Centre is in denial mode. It is behaving as if there is no crisis," Chavan said.
"Contrary to that, Maharashtra's finance minister has admitted there are problems and that headway needs to be found out," Chavan said.
He praised provisions in the budget for encouraging sports culture in the state, the announcement of apprentice training for 10 lakh unemployed educated youth, international convention centre in Worli and creation of a Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar chair in London School of Economics among others.
"The government has tried to give justice to all the regions. The people of Maharashtra will welcome the budget in the current situation," he said.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
