Punjab once again ignored in Union Budget: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed disappointment over the Union Budget on Saturday, claiming that the border state has been "ignored" once again and not given anything.

Describing it as an "election budget", the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said it only made announcements for Bihar.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her eighth budget in Parliament on Saturday.

Reacting to the budget, Mann alleged that Punjab has once again been "ignored" in the budget presented by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre.

"The Union government has not given anything to the farmers and youngsters of Punjab," he said in a post on X.

The chief minister criticised the Centre for not announcing a minimum support price (MSP) for crops or any package for the state's industry.

"The Centre has neither given an MSP to farmers on their crops nor has the state been given any package for any industry. Punjab has not been given anything that can improve its economy and future," he said.

"This budget is only an election budget, in which there are announcements only for the state of Bihar," Mann added.

Once again, the Centre has meted out stepmotherly treatment to Punjab and Punjabis in the budget, he said, adding, "But we will make Punjab stand on its own feet."