Union Finance Minister's budget speech shows PM Modi govt's double standards: Jairam Ramesh

New Delhi: Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Sunday accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government of double standards, asserting that the Finance Minister's Budget 2024 provided a "vivid illustration" by offering grants to BJP-ruled states while only providing repayable loans to Congress-governed Himachal Pradesh.
In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh said, "Yesterday, the self-anointed non-biological Prime Minister said that Viksit Bharat depends on Viksit states - wow, such a profundity."
"If only he put the taxpayer's money where his mouth is! After the disastrous floods of 2023, the Government of Himachal Pradesh repeatedly demanded that the Union Government declare the floods a national calamity - a plea which the Finance Minister repeatedly rejected. Now, in her Budget Speech, when allocating funds for irrigation and flood mitigation, the Finance Minister has provided a vivid illustration of the double standards at work in the non-biological PM's Government," Congress general secretary said in the post.
"Basically, what the FM has said is that BJP-ruled states will get financial assistance in the form of grants. When it comes to INC-governed Himachal Pradesh, however, the assistance will be "arranged through multilateral development assistance", i.e., loans that it will have to repay. Himachal Pradesh - which is historically a fiscally challenged state due to its remote geography and challenging terrain - will be burdened with more loans. This is nothing but revenge on the people who did NOT vote for the BJP in assembly elections," the Congress leader said in the post.
Notably, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had made major announcements for Bihar, including a boost in infrastructure and special financial support.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had accused the Centre of favouring BJP-ruled states by providing them privileges and packages.
Banerjee who had walked out from a NITI Aayog meeting held on Saturday in New Delhi said, "I said whatever I could in the 3 to 4 minutes that I got. In the entire country, the way in which all the opposition-ruled states have been neglected while BJP-ruled states and their alliance members have been favoured, we don't have any objection if any state is given more money, but this is not acceptable that someone will get and someone will not get at all."