GUWAHATI: Opposition parties in Assam criticised the Union Budget as one which has not taken the state’s economy, hit by the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) movement and the COVID-19 pandemic, into consideration.
Assam Congress said that the party had expected announcement of a special package for the state which has been affected by the anti-CAA agitation followed by the pandemic last year.
“But Modi’s Budget 2021 continues its step-motherly treatment towards Assam. After leaving previous budget promises for Assam unfulfilled, it has once again made jumla promises. But the people of Assam will not be fooled by token announcements anymore,” the state Congress reacted on its Twitter page.
“BJP has been continuously betraying the tea garden workers of Assam. None of the promises made, be it the promise of providing Rs 351as minimum wages to tea garden workers or the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the tea community have been fulfilled,” the party reacted.
The party further said that the Budget does not have anything substantial or any packages for addressing the burning issues of floods and unemployment in Assam.
The All India United Democratic Front too slammed the Union Budget stating that the Budget has no announcements for relieving the problems of common citizens or for arresting the growing inflation and rising prices of essential items.
“Moreover, the Budget does not have any special package for rehabilitation of the 14 crore people who lost their livelihoods in the aftermath of the pandemic and lockdown. Besides, there is no mention of revival of the Cachar and Nagaon Paper mills (which have been non-operational for the past few years),” the AIUDF said in a statement issued here.
Newly-floated regional party, Assam Jatiya Parishad also criticised the Budget, saying it does not have anything for the welfare of the economically disadvantaged sections.
“Instead, the gap between the affluent and the economically disadvantaged sections is likely to widen. Besides, the Budget does not address issues like river erosion or unemployment,” the party observed.