Bihar, Orissa CMs give thumbs down

PATNA/BHUBANESWAR/GUWAHATI: The interim budget has evoked mixed reactions across the political spectrum from Bihar, Orissa and the North East. While the chief ministers of Bihar and Orissa called the budget directionless and disappointing, the spokesman of the Assam government felt it focused on the aam aadmi.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said the Centre failed to address the concerns of Bihar. "The budget did not provide for any economic package for Bihar nor did it allow special concessions on the lines of northeastern states or Uttarakhand. The UPA government, when it presented the first budget, did underline the need for giving special treatment to Bihar but deliberately chose to ignore the state in successive budgets."

Lashing out at the Centre, Mr Kumar said it had the resources to bail out big companies but has no money for Bihar. "In fact, when the all-party delegation from Bihar sought time to meet the prime minister in connection with the special status demand for Bihar, the appointment did not materialise," Mr Kumar said.

In Bhubaneswar, Orissa chief minister and Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik described the budget as a major "disappointment" and said it had no special provision to address needs of the common people. "I do not think this budget will benefit Orissa. On the face of it, the budget is election-oriented," Mr Patnaik told reporters.

Orissa Pradesh Congress president K P Singhdeo, however, welcomed the budget, saying it did not propose any increase in taxes and allocated more funds for rural development.

In the North East while the Assam government hailed the budget, industry bodies found little to cheer.
Assam industry minister and state government spokesperson Pradyut Bordoloi said: "The government has laid down only the policy parameters. The focus of the budget is the common man."

Main opposition party Asom Gana Parishad termed the budget as disappointing. "The budget will trigger inflation," MP Biren Baishya told ET from New Delhi.

Chairman of Federation of Industry and Commerce of Northeastern Region (FINER), RS Joshi said the budget virtually contains no specific measures to overcome the consequences of economic slowdown. "Going by the deteriorating economic parameters, people should tighten their belts to face the tough measures in the regular budget," he said.