Union Budget 2024: 'Directionless, anti-people', says West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Pic/PTI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday slammed the Union Budget 2024-25 calling it directionless, anti-people, politically motivated, and lacking vision.

Citing the Union Budget 2024-25, according to the ANI report, the CM of West Bengal said, it is "directionless, anti-people, no vision, only political mission is there. I don't see any light, it is dark."

She alleged the Budget 2024-25 was 'anti-people, anti-poor and a politically biased' budget.

"This Budget is anti-people, anti-poor and not for the common people. This is a Budget to appease one party. This is a Budget full of political biases," she said, according to the ANI report.

As per the ANI report, she also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for making false promises during elections and not fulfilling them.

She said, "They make tall claims and make promises during elections. But after they get votes, they forget Darjeeling, Kalimpong...People in the hills of Darjeeling should remember this. Let Sikkim get things, we have no objection but, keeping Darjeeling deprived is not right," reported ANI.

Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman announced the Union Budget 2024 on Tuesday for the fiscal year 2024-25.

She made a historical record as the first finance minister to present seven consecutive budget speeches, surpassing former Prime Minister Morarji Desai.

Desai, who was Finance Minister from 1959 untill 964, held a record of presenting six consecutive budgets as FM.

FM Sitharaman, in her seventh consecutive Union Budget for 2024-25, outlined 9 key priorities aimed at fostering economic growth and creating ample opportunities.

She listed productivity and resilience in agriculture, employment and skilling, inclusive human resource development and social justice, manufacturing and services, urban development, energy security, infrastructure, innovation, research and development, and next-generation reforms as nine priority areas for the government.

In her budget speech, Sitharaman introduced an increased standard deduction and revised tax rates for salaried individuals under the new tax regime.

Sitharaman announced a significant set of income-tax reforms for the fiscal year 2024-25, aimed at simplifying tax laws, promoting compliance, and fostering economic growth.

In her speech before proposing the developments in the tourism sector, FM Sitharaman said, "Tourism has always been a part of our civilization. Our efforts in positioning India as a global tourist destination will also create jobs, stimulate investments and unlock economic opportunities for other sectors."

Similarly, for skilling the citizens so as to generate job opportunities, she proposed Rs 1.48 crore. 20 lakh youth will be skilled over a five-year period. A total of 1,000 industrial training institutes will be upgraded.

(With inputs from ANI)