Welcoming the Union Budget 2021, Uttarakhand minister Madan Kaushik on Monday said the budget has something good for everyone, every sector - be it farmers, youth, or the common man.
Kaushik said as Uttarakhand has a lot of centrally-sponsored schemes, the budget will benefit the state in many ways. “It will benefit us in the development of infrastructure and connectivity in the state”
Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said PM Modi’s style of working is very focused whether it is Atamanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative or other new projects. "He is taking ahead the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” the chief minister said.
State BJP president Bansidhar Bhagat said this budget has taken care of all sections of the society. “The government has focused big on infrastructure and health sectors, which is the need of the hour. This will ensure more employment opportunities for our youth. Also, there have been no changes in the income tax slabs or any major tax hikes, which will some relief to the pandemic-hit people of the country”, he said.
Also read: Budget 2021 - No change in income tax slabs, focus on healthcare and infra
{{/usCountry}}Also read: Budget 2021 - No change in income tax slabs, focus on healthcare and infra
{{/usCountry}}State Congress president Pritam Singh, however, said there is not much in the budget to check price hike or increase employment opportunities for the youth. “The budget didn’t talk anything about projects in Uttarakhand whether there are any metro or railway projects in the state. There is no talk of whether 'Green Bonus' will be provided to the state. Overall, I think this budget is a gimmickry of figures,” he said.
Dr Tripti Bahuguna, director for planning with the Uttarakhand health department, welcomed the increased share of funds allocated for healthcare in the budget. "The increased funds for healthcare in the current budget will help our state a lot as it will give a boost to improve healthcare facilities in remote areas. Along with infrastructure development, we will also be able to ensure that human resource stays in hospitals in remote areas by giving them incentives, especially young healthcare workers," said Dr Bahuguna.
Dr SK Gupta, director of state medical and health department, said, "During the Covid-19 pandemic we have improved health infrastructure in remote areas with the help of the central government but this budget will help us set up more oxygen plants, connect them with all district hospitals and increase manpower in government hospitals."
Professor MM Semwal, state-based expert on economics, said the budget is quite a balanced one. “The budget has many things that will lead to job creation. Fund allocation structure is very positive towards infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing. The best thing is there is no major burden on the common man in the form any taxes”
Social activist Anoop Nautiyal said he welcomes the budget announcements made to strengthen the fragile healthcare system in the country. “With its focus on preventive health and curative health, the proposed development of capacities and institutions and heightened focus on disease control, we can look ahead with hope,” he said
Farmer leader Ajit Randhawa said that a considerable budget has been kept for paddy and wheat purchase from farmers. “It is a routine issue for the farmers. Farmers would have been happy if the new farm laws were repealed”.
Jagdish Thakur, a farmer from Rudrapur said that farmers are selling their land and purchasing small plots to settle in urban areas. “This practice is reducing the number of farmers and areas of agricultural land in our country. We need major initiatives in the budget that increase farmer income substantially and checks this trend”.