Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday alleged that the maiden Union budget of Naredra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government would only lead to further increase in regional disparities in the country and backward region like the Northeast would suffer the most.
Mr. Gogoi pointed out that while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had accused previous prime minister Manmohan Singh and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of not doing anything and not sanctioning funds for development of the northeast region, no mega project for the region was announced by the Modi government. Even whatever fund the Modi government had allocated for highway and railway development, were only for the old and continuing projects, he claimed.
The Chief Minister claimed that while the total expenditure for the entire country had been estimated at Rs 17,94, 892 lakh crore in the budget, the total allocation for the Northeast—Rs 53,706 crore--was far less than mandatory ten per cent of the total budget.
He expressed disappointment for not declaring an All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) for Assam despite the State Government agreeing to provide land and identifying the site. Mr. Gogoi accused the Modi government of forgetting the Brahmaputra after coming to power but promising a lot during electioneering. He said that the State Government had no objection to Union budget earmarking Rs. 2,037 crore to clean up the Ganga and setting aside Rs 4200 crore for the Jal Marg Vikas project on river Ganga connecting Allahabad to Haldiabut but it was very disappointing that no project or scheme had been announced the Brahmaputra despite the river causing ravaging annual floods and erosion in Assam.
Mr. Gogoi described the maiden budget of the Modi government as the “budget for big industrialists and the corporate sector.” “The budget has been most disappointing for the people of Assam, who had given their overwhelming support to the BJP.
It has not brought good days to the common man in the country. It has brought good days only for big industrialists and the corporates. That is why they are very happy with the budget and have described it as growth oriented,” he added.
