Budget disappointing, lacks new initiatives: Jai Ram Thakur

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 17

Calling the Budget disappointing and lacking new initiatives, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur has accused the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government of being silent on various functional schemes of the previous government and renaming the BJP’s schemes as its own.

Only 25,000 jobs

The Cong had promised to generate 5 lakh jobs (one lakh per year). In the Budget, the announcement has been made only for 25,000 jobs. Jai Ram Thakur, Leader of Oppn

“There was no mention of the Himcare Scheme, Sahara Yojna, Grihini Suvidha Yojna, Nai Rahen Nai Manzilen, etc. Have these schemes been stopped?” Thakur said. “The Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School Scheme is the same as our Atal Adarsh Vidyalaya initiative. They have simply changed the name,” he said.

The former CM accused the government of not giving any credit to the Centre for the push towards green energy and electric vehicles. “The Centre is already offering substantial subsidies on green energy projects and electric vehicles. The government did not clarify how it will contribute on that front,” he said.

He questioned the announcement to buy 1,500 electric buses for inclusion in the HRTC fleet. “Where will the budget come from for these buses? In fact, how is the government going to fund development when it will be left with only Rs 29 out of Rs 100 for development?” he said.

He criticised the Budget for not being clear on the poll guarantees of the Congress. “There was no mention of SOPs for implementing the old pension scheme,” he said.