BJP MP Jagdambika Pal defends Budget and criticizes opposition on Waqf Bill

New Delhi [India], February 1 (ANI): BJP MP Jagdambika Pal defended the Union Budget 2025, emphasizing the significant increase in infrastructure funding.
Speaking to ANI, Pal said, "If they (opposition) had heard the President's address, they would have seen that in infrastructure, we have increased it from Rs 2 lakh crore to Rs 11 lakh crore... This is the foundation of developed India and through this budget, we are taking the country towards Viksit Bharat."
Pal also commented on the ongoing debate over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and criticized the opposition's stance on the matter.
"Kalyan Banerjee does not know the procedure and if you do not agree with the amendment, you can give amendment clause-wise or section-wise," he stated.
He continued, "And I asked for that amendment, a meeting was held on the 27th, members of the ruling party and the opposition gave their views on the amendment and voting was done on the amendment... It is criticism of Parliament, criticism of the Speaker, he (Kalyan Banerjee) does not have the knowledge."
Meanwhile, during the Budge presentation, the Union government has introduced the PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana, a new initiative aimed at improving agricultural conditions in 100 districts that have low productivity, moderate crop intensity, and below-average access to credit.
Announced in the Union Budget 2025 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the scheme will be implemented in partnership with state governments and will focus on enhancing rural prosperity through the convergence of existing agricultural schemes and specialized measures.
The Finance Minister stated that the program is inspired by the success of the Aspirational Districts Program and aims to uplift farmers in underdeveloped agricultural regions.
The scheme will focus on five key areas: Enhancing agricultural productivity by adopting better farming techniques, promoting crop diversification and sustainable agricultural practices to ensure long-term benefits, developing post-harvest storage facilities at the panchayat and block levels to reduce crop wastage, improving irrigation facilities to increase agricultural output and Facilitating access to long-term and short-term credit for farmers to invest in better farming practices.
The program is expected to benefit 1.7 crore farmers across these districts by improving their incomes and overall agricultural sustainability. (ANI)