"Was this a budget of Centre or Bihar?": Opposition MPs accuse NDA govt of ignoring development of other states

New Delhi [India], February 1 (ANI): The Finance Minister in her Buget speech had some good news for Bihar with the announcements of some sops for the state. However, this has come under criticis, from the opposition who questioned the timing.
Congress MP Manish Tewari has accused the Centre for ignoring other States other than Bihar in this year's Union Budget.
"I fail to understand that was this a budget of government of India or was this a budget of government of Bihar? Have you heard the name of another state than Bihar in the entire budgetary speech of the union finance minister?" Tewari told ANI.
Alluding to the critical support of the Janata Dal (United) that the BJP needed at the Centre, he said, "This government is on crutches. To keep this crutches intact, the government ignored the development interest of the other states."
When asked about the tax exemption announcements in the Budget, he said, "Tax proposals have to be studied carefully. Finance Minister has made certain assertions; those assertions would have to be looked at."
Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal also accused the Union Government of ignoring the farmers and the people of Punjab.
"Look at the names of the states - Bihar, which is going to elections. Only Bihar, Bihar, Bihar. There was no mention of Punjab. Farmers are sitting in protest for the past 4 years over legal guarantee for MSP. What did they announce for farmers? Makhana Board. This was an anti-farmer Budget. Farmers who are fighting for their rights were not heard, this is sad," she said.
Meanwhile, TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha welcomed the announcements for Bihar but questioned the government on not announcing a special package saying that this was like a lollipop for Bihar.
"Bihar is my strength and I felt good about the provisions to Bihar, but it is also a time of elections, so was this an electoral budget taking Bihar on forefront?... Infrastructural development in Bihar is good, but is this enough? What happened to the big special packages mentioned earlier?... This budget, kept in view of Bihar, seems like a lollipop... Now about the salaried class, the exemption should have been 15 lakhs instead of 12 lakhs, but still, we appreciate it... A lot of things still need to be studied," Shatrughan Sinha

BJP MP Rajiv Rudy however defended the Centre saying, "A lot of things have been given to the state of Bihar, which the state has been lagging behind in many cases. After the 2015 package, this is a new proposal that has come to Bihar, be it airports, IITs, education, Makhana board, I think Bihar deserves what it has got... Thanks to the PM and Finance Minister."
In her budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced several sops for Bihar where assembly polls are due towards the end of this year.
She announced that Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar in addition to the expansion of the capacity of the Patna Airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta.
Sitharaman said, "Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta."
She also highlighted the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar.
"Financial support will be provided for the Western Kosi Canal ERM project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar," she said.
The Finance Minister also announced the establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar to provide a strong fillip to food processing activities in the entire Eastern region.
Sitharaman also announced that no income tax will be payable on income up to Rs 12 lakh, providing significant relief to taxpayers especially the middle class.
This limit will be Rs 12.75 lakh rupees for salaried tax payers counting Rs 75,000 of standard deduction. She also stated that the new income tax regime will be simpler, with a special focus on benefiting the middle class.
But there is a catch, the exemption can be earned only if a tax payer takes relief under various sections of the income tax act like Rs 1.5 lakh exemption under section 80CCC, exemption of Rs 1.5 lakh for paying interest on home loans. (ANI)