There is mixed response in the State to the Interim Budget-2024 presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday. BJP leaders called the Interim Budget 2024-25 encouraging and empowering, while Opposition leaders expressed disappointment calling it an anti-people budget and bundle of lies. The Interim Budget is a temporary financial plan presented by the Government when it doesn’t have the time or mandate to present a full budget. Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has said that the Interim Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is focused on the poor, women, youth and farmers.

 

State Finance Minister Jagdish Devda welcomed the budget and said, “It is good and should be welcomed. The poor, women, youth, and farmers, all have been taken care of in this budget. Madhya Pradesh will also get the benefit of the schemes.” While the main Opposition Congress party leaders slammed the budget. Former CM Kamal Nath said “Finance Minister has tried to cover up their Government’s failure as several promises remained unfulfilled. Neither the income of farmers have been doubled as it was announced in 2022 nor every poor in the country has got house. Announcement was made in 2022 to run bullet train in the country but it is still not a reality. Finance Minister is silent. Government should apologies to the people for not fulfilling promises.” Pradesh Congress Committee President Jitu Patwari said that Modi government has honestly told four lies even in the Interim Budget! Namely economic lies, social lie, on grounds of political and moral. The Central Government, which has given free foodgrains to 80 crore people, is claiming that it has brought 25 crore people out of poverty! This is the biggest economic lie told by the BJP in the year 2024. Because, in the country where I live and meet people, the definition of poor is different! And, in the official papers of BJP, the presence of the poor is being shown and depicted differently.

 

In Madhya Pradesh itself, by claiming to give Rs 3,000 per month in ‘Ladli Bahna Yojana’ state BJP is claiming to make around one crore women Lakhpati Didi, that is a biggest social lie. The truth is that unemployment in the country is the highest in the last 45 years. As it has been said that under the BJP government, 54 lakh youths have been trained. I would also call this the biggest political lie told in the year 2024. The budget book of the Union Finance Minister is saying that 11.8 crore people have got financial help from PM Kisan Yojana. I would also call this the biggest moral lie told in the year 2024.