Budget Has Nothing for Jharkhand: State Congress President Rajesh Thakur

State Congress chief decries lack of focus on crucial sectors

Opposition leader claims Union Budget neglects state’s needs, favoring corporate interests over public welfare.

RANCHI – Jharkhand’s Local political figures have expressed strong criticism of the recent fiscal announcements.

Rajesh Thakur, the President of Jharkhand’s Congress, has strongly opposed the Union Budget 2024.

Thakur criticized the budget as a letdown for the state, alleging that the central government had political motives behind it.

"This budget appears to be more of a retaliatory measure rather than a strategic plan for development," Thakur expressed his views strongly during a press conference soon after the budget was tabled.

He said that the experts have criticized the allocation for education and health sectors, stating that it is insufficient, amounting to only 1-2% of the total budget.

Thakur also said that the budget did not effectively tackle important economic challenges, such as the slowdown in private consumption and has nothing for the common masses.

The Congress leader highlighted the important issue of 24 lakh productive companies shutting down between 2016 and 2022. He said that this matter has not been adequately addressed.

There were also concerns raised regarding the absence of specific measures to address the distress faced by farmers, especially that of Jharkhand.

Thakur expressed strong dissatisfaction with the budget, arguing that it favored corporate interests rather than addressing the needs of consumers affected by inflation.

He also said that it was observed there is a lack of support for government job creation, resulting in a focus on encouraging youth to seek employment in the private sector.

In Thakur’s view, the budget appears to favor political power at the expense of the well-being of ordinary citizens and added that there was nothing for the people of Jharkhand in this budget.