'Why special packages only for Andhra, Bihar?': Akhilesh Yadav slams Union Budget 2024

Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav reacted to the Union Budget 2024 saying Uttar Pradesh had been ignored and farmers and youth were neglected.

Updated on: Jul 23, 2024, 18:19:45 IST

By HT News Desk

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Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party criticised the Union Budget 2024, presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday, for allegedly ignoring development initiatives for Uttar Pradesh and going against the interests of youth and farmers.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav accused the government of ignoring Uttar Pradesh and not enacting adequate measures for farmers and youth. (ANI Photo/Shrikant Singh) (Shrikant Singh)

Also Read: ‘Copied ideas of Rahul Gandhi’: INDIA bloc on Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget 2024 announcements

Reacting to special packages announced for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh by Nirmala Sitharaman in the budget, Akhilesh Yadav claimed Uttar Pradesh was tied to Narendra Modi's rise to Prime Minister yet had found no mention in her speech – despite earlier promises made to double the income of farmers in the state.

The Samajwadi party chief added that farmers in Uttar Pradesh still had no “mandi” (market) and that the budget's announcement for a highway from Buxar in Bihar should have extended to Uttar Pradesh's Purvanchal Expressway as well.

Also Read: Old vs proposed income tax slabs under new regime. What has changed?

Andhra Pradesh's ruling TDP and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) are part of the NDA led by the Bharatiya Janata Party. They have been pushing for financial aid for their states, which was reflected in the budget.

Also Read: What Budget 2024 has for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh

However, Akhilesh Yadav claimed that this is a political manoeuvre to maintain their alliance and “save” its government.

He also questioned why the government had no schemes for the development of Uttar Pradesh, which is India's most populous state.

Yadav didn't agree with the budget on its employment increasing and skilling initiatives. The Samajwadi Party MP said short term measures such as internships for the youth would not solve the unemployment crisis.

“Will reservation be given for these short-term employment initiatives?,” he asked.

Another SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav asked why Nirmala Sitharaman avoid talking about Uttar Pradesh in her speech. “Can India be developed without developing Uttar Pradesh?” he asked.

He also pointed out that agriculture had received the lowest allocation of funds among all the sectors in the budget.

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