Union Budget 2024-25 is 'directionless, anti-people': West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata (West Bengal): West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday slammed the Union Budget 2024-25 calling it politically motivated, directionless, anti-people, and lacking vision.

"Directionless, anti-people, no vision, only political mission is there. I don't see any light, it is dark," she said.

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.

She also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for making false promises during elections and not fulfilling them, saying,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," she said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her record seventh consecutive Union Budget 2024-25 today (on July 23) during the Budget Session of Parliament. She makes history as the first finance minister to present seven consecutive budget speeches, surpassing former Prime Minister Morarji Desai's record of six consecutive budgets as finance minister between 1959 and 1964.

FM Sitharaman, in her seventh consecutive Union Budget for 2024-25, outlined key priorities aimed at fostering economic growth and creating ample opportunities. The priorities include Productivity and Resilience in Agriculture, Employment and Skilling and services.

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.

Sitharaman, in her budget speech, proposed the creation of employment for about 4.1 crore youth over the next five years. Towards this, the finance minister has made an allocation of Rs 2 lakh crore.

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.