Pune: MP Dr Amol Kolhe reacts to Union Budget, wonders if it is Bihar-Andhra Pradesh budget

Pune: NCP (SP) MP Dr Amol Kolhe called the Union Budget 2024-45 as a pathetic effort to save the Central government. He wondered if it was a Bihar-Andhra Pradesh budget.

Big allocations have been made for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh but there is not even a single special provision for Maharashtra. Many state leaders expressed their outrage over this.

Kolhe used sarcasm in Marathi, on the lines of a mantra chanted after one performs Aarti of a deity, to put across his point. He said, “Ghalin lotangan, vandeen Bihar, dolyane pahin Andhra maze, durlakshun rasthra, upekshun Maharashtra, sarkar vachven mhane NaMo (By surrendering to Bihar and Andhra Pradesh demands to save his government, Modi has ignored the remaining country and neglected Maharashtra too).”

A pathetic attempt to save the government

Kolhe said, “The Union Budget is a pathetic attempt to save the government. It is an attempt to shower largesse on Bihar and Andhra Pradesh as the NDA government is surviving on the two crutches of the JDU and the TDP. One need not feel sad that they have got a larger share of funds. However, Maharashtra, which gives the highest revenue to the Centre has been completely neglected.”

‘What is the triple engine government doing?’

Kolhe said, “What is the triple engine government in Maharashtra doing? The leaders of three major ruling parties rush to Delhi for various reasons. What are they doing? Do they have any say? If the answer is ‘yes’ then why didn’t Maharashtra get hefty funds? This is a disappointing budget for Maharashtra.”

Road network in Bihar, Rs 26,000 crore allocated

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has given a big gift to Bihar. Industrial development will be boosted in Bodhgaya. The eastern part of Bihar will benefit. Inter-state roads will be connected. They include Patna-Purnia, Buxar-Bhagalpur, Bodhgaya-Rajgir-Vaishali-Darbhanga highways. A two-lane additional bridge will be built on Ganga river near Buxar at the cost of Rs 26,000 crore. New medical, sports and civil aviation infrastructures will be built in Bihar. Rs 26,000 more will be given for highways in Bihar.

Big allocation for Andhra Pradesh

Rs 15,000 crore has been allocated to build the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, Amravati. This was a consistent demand by the TDP. The Centre has granted Chandrababu Naidu’s demand.