Congress hails budget 'pro poor', BJP terms it inflationary

Jaipur, Feb 28 (UNI) Rajasthan Congress today hailed the Union budget presented by Finance Minister P Chidambaram and said it was an attempt to bridge the divide between 'Bharat' and 'India', while the ruling BJP criticised the budget as a big letdown and inflationary.

Rajasthan Pradesh Congress committee spokesperson Dr Paramnavdeep Singh said the budget was in tune with the promises made to the people during the elections and on the lines of UPA's common minimum programme.

She said the budget was primarily aimed at taking the rural India on the path of development.

''Aam Admi Bima Yojana to provide insurance to the labourers in the unorganised sector, quality seeds to the farmers at low cost are Holi gifts to them,'' Ms Singh said adding the Finance Minister's endeavour to strengthen education and health in the rural areas was laudable.

BJP spokesman Kailash Nath Bhutt said Finance Minister let down the people who were reeling under a spiralling inflation. He said no efforts were made in the budget to control sky-rocketing prices.

BJP national treasurer Ramdas Agarwal said the budget failed to tackle the declining agriculture growth and burgeoning unemployment.

Sunil Bhargava, BJP leader said with the hike in dividend tax, the Finance Minister had sprung a surprise to the investors.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Rajasthan said P Chidambaram totally neglected the infrastructre sector which was the prime requisite of service and manufacturing industry.

UNI