Haryana Budget 2024-25: Opposition Calls It ''Hollow''

Chandigarh, Feb 27 (PTI) Opposition parties in Haryana on Tuesday dismissed the state budget as "hollow", claiming that it has left various sections including farmers and women disappointed.

On the other hand, BJP MLAs described the budget as development-oriented, saying it will take Haryana on the path of progress.

The MLAs were taking part in a debate on the budget proposals.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who also holds the Finance portfolio, on Friday announced waiver of interest and penalty on certain crop loans and did not hike taxes as he presented a Rs 1.89 lakh crore budget for 2024-25 financial year.

"All sections are unhappy with the government," said Congress MLA Balbir Singh.

"Government says many recruitments are being carried out while many are in the process, whereas many posts have not been filled. There is growing unemployment and unemployed youth will vote out this government," he said.

Congress' Renu Bala called the budget "disappointing", alleging that there is nothing for the women, farmers and weaker sections.

Another party member Shakuntala Khatak described the budget as "hollow".

Referring to protesting farmers, she said they are being beaten up when they are raising their demands.

INLD's lone MLA Abhay Singh Chautala said treasury benches praised the budget whereas the debt has been mounting.

There is only increase of Rs 6,000 crore in budget size in FY 2024-25 as compared to the previous year, Chautala said, while adding the government is "borrowing heavily".

The state has been pushed in debt trap, he alleged.

The government is not serious in carrying out development works, he further said.

Congress' Balbir Singh also said that during the previous Congress regime in Haryana, 2.5 lakh houses were built under the Indra Awas Yojana while 100 square yard plots were given to the poor.

He said the present government "should not deceive" the poor with mere promises and give them 100 square yard plots like the ones by the previous regime.

He also said law and order situation is deteriorating.

BJP's Satya Prakash talked about various initiatives of the Khattar government for welfare of various sections including Scheduled Castes.

Jannayak Janta Party's Naina Chautala said the chief minister, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented his fifth budget, which is pro-people and will benefit all sections.

She also touched upon several initiatives kept for women in the budget.

Congress MLA Mohd Illyas said when a government presents the budget, people of every section think it will give them relief.

But it seems they have not kept welfare of people in mind, Illyas, who is MLA from Punhana in Nuh district, alleged.

Illyas said that BJP MLAs claim it is a development-oriented budget which is "far from truth".

He questioned the government for allegedly neglecting Mewat and said there is shortage of doctors in health institutions while medicines are not available.

He further claimed that there is shortage of teachers in schools in Mewat while infrastructure in schools is also inadequate. "Does government treat this as development?"

He also claimed that incidence of cancer are increasing due to contaminated water supply.

"Is Mewat not part of Haryana," he said, adding that the government has not launched any development scheme in the past five years.

BJP's Bhavya Bishnoi said Chief Minister Khattar has kept welfare provisions for various sections in mind while preparing the budget.

Bishnoi said the budget also kept the welfare of farmers in mind and added "the chief minister, who is a farmer's son, understands the pain of farmers".

While he was speaking on the budget proposals, Bishnoi, the MLA from Adampur in Hisar district, alleged that Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, while making a reference to the murder of INLD state chief Nafe Singh Rathee, had made a mention of "Bishnoi gang" and defamed the Bishnoi community.

However, former Haryana chief minister Hooda asked the BJP member not to spread "falsehood" as he had only referred to some reports which had talked about "Lawrence Bishnoi gang" in connection with INLD leader's murder in Bahadurgarh on Sunday.

"I did not refer to or mention the name of community as is being claimed," Hooda said.