Oppn walkout during budget a political drama: Narayanasamy

Minister of State for Planning V Narayanasamy on Sunday dubbed the opposition walkout in the Lok Sabha during the budget presentation following Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's announcment to hike the duty on petrol and diesel as a 'drama'.

Minister of State for Planning V Narayanasamy on Sunday dubbed the opposition walkout in the Lok Sabha during the budget presentation following Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's announcment to hike the duty on petrol and diesel as a 'drama'.

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Speaking to reporters in Puducherry, he described the budget as growth oriented and development centric, which would benefit farmers, education sector, income tax payers and a large section of people.

He also praised the Railway budget presented by Mamata Banerjee and her announcement of a Puducherry-Howrah direct weekly service, a result of the frequent pleas by the Union Territory for such a facility.

Narayanasamy said the Planning Commission had convened a meeting with Chief Minister V Vaithilingam and his ministerial colleagues in Delhi on March 10 to finalise the plan size for the 2010-2011 fiscal. The Centre had sent a circular in this regard to the Chief Minister and others.

He said already Rs 800 crore had been earmarked in the current fiscal for completing civic works for buildings in upcoming government medical college,women and child hospital, indoor stadiums here and in Karaikal and other infrastructure facilities, he said.