| Politics:Budget tends to mixed reactions |
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The budget for 2007-08 presented by Finance Minister K Rosaiah on Monday attracted more brickbats than bouquets from the opposition parties who termed it `direction-less, non-implementable and neglecting the agriculture and welfare sectors.'
Opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu said that the budget was lacking proper vision and that people of the state would be taxed at a later period or the allocations would not be spent completely.
Expressing apprehensions that the state was running towards a debt trap, Naidu mentioned several omissions such as commodities that would be supplied on ration cards, solution to the problems of weavers and lack of allocation for regional development even when the government was contemplating regional development boards. “While bus depots are being closed, the government is proposing to establish airports at different places. We are running towards a debt trap,” he quipped.Questioning the rationale in sanctioning a number of universities in the state, he wanted to know what type of priority has been accorded for primary education. TRS floor leader G Vijaya Rama Rao alleged that the budget was anti-Telangana. No allocation was made to create supernumerary post to transfer employees from Telangana to their respective regions. The allocation for minor irrigation is marginal, he said. CPM floor leader N Narasimhaiah said that the cultivable area was reduced by 4,000 hectares and yield farm sector was dipped by 4 lakh tonnes.CPI floor leader Ch Venkata Reddy said that the budget reflected the directions by the World Bank. SC, ST and BCs received a raw deal in the budget, he added. BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy said the budget was most disappointing. MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi thanked Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy for increasing scholarships for minorities. He wished that the government proposed more fly-overs to reduce the traffic problems in the city.             |