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BJP hails Budget; Tewari says nothing for Chandigarh

AAP labels it old wine in new bottle | Budget for capitalists, no provision for women safety: Former Mahila Cong chief
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Manish Tewari, Chandigarh MP and Jatinder Pal Malhotra, City BJP Chief
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City MP Manish Tewari today said there was nothing at all for Chandigarh in the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. “The total outlay has gone from Rs 5,838.66 crore in FY 2024-25 to Rs 6,187.48 crore in FY 2025-26 that barely covers inflation,” he said, adding that the annual inflation stands at 5.22%.

“In fact, the entire northern region, including Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Chandigarh, has drawn a blank in the Union Budget,” he said. There was nothing for the agitating farmers who have been sitting on the borders of Punjab and Haryana for years now, he added. “Kudos to the Finance Minister for her empathy.” Hailing the Budget, city BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra said it was an all-round development budget, offering numerous benefits for Chandigarh and the nation as a whole. The government’s decision to exempt individuals with income up to Rs 12 lakh from paying income tax was a significant move, aimed at alleviating the financial burden on low and middle-income households, he said.

“This is a people’s budget and it’s easy to see why. The government focus on inclusive growth and development is evident in the various provisions made for different sectors and communities,” he added.

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On the other hand, Chandigarh Congress president HS Lucky expressed disappointment over the Budget, stating that it neither offers a substantive relief nor there is an increase allocation for Chandigarh. He emphasised that the budget fails to address critical issues such as unemployment, poverty and inflation.

“There has been no creation of new jobs, no any new projects or allocations for infrastructure development,” Lucky said. “The healthcare and education sectors have been entirely overlooked and the Budget does not provide for an enhanced investment in the Smart City initiative. This glaring regional imbalance is evident,” he added.

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Lucky remarked that the proposed increase in the income tax threshold is belated and will only benefit a limited segment of the population.

REGION DRAWS BLANK

The entire northern region, including J&K, Haryana, Himachal, Punjab and Chandigarh, has drawn a blank in the Union Budget. — Manish Tewari, Chandigarh MP

FOCUS ON GROWTH

The government focus on inclusive growth and development is evident in various provisions made for different sectors.

— Jatinder Pal Malhotra, City BJP chief

Expressing similar sentiments, Prem Garg, chartered accountant and senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Chandigarh, labelled the Budget as “old wine in a new bottle”. He asserted that year after year, Finance Ministers present budget proposals with grand promises of transforming India into an economic superpower, yet the outcomes consistently fall short of these aspirations. Garg added that the recent direct tax proposals, particularly the significant increase in the tax exemption limit from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 12 lakh, appear to be strategically timed with the forthcoming Delhi elections in mind.

Garg urged the government to move beyond repetitive promises and to implement concrete, actionable strategies that address the nation’s pressing economic challenges.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha Member Satnam Singh Sandhu termed it people’s Budget and said it was an important milestone in the journey of India’s development and fulfills the dreams of every citizen.

“The Budget not only addresses the current needs of the country but also helps in preparing for the future with initiatives for startups, including the Deep Tech Fund, Geospatial Mission, and Nuclear Energy Mission. Several sectors were opened up for the youth, and the common citizen will drive the mission of Viksit Bharat. This budget is a force multiplier which would increase the savings, investment, consumption, and growth,” he said.

Former Chandigarh Mahila Congress president Deepa Dubey called the Budget is as “anti-women”.

“Why the Central Government forgot the primary population of the country, women, while preparing the Budget, whereas the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman herself is a woman. Despite that she has presented a Budget for the benefit of capitalists without thinking about women,” she said.

“No provision has been made in the Budget keeping in mind the safety of women,” she added.

Dubey said neither the kitchen of a woman was thought about nor any facility was given for young girls, women, elderly, pregnant and widowed women.

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