Budget 2019 has neglected farmers' problems: Siddu

Bengaluru: Reacting to the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman former chief minister Siddaramaiah said that both issues of farmers of the country being in distress, without rains and fair price for products and of unemployment among youth have been “completely neglected” in the budget.

Alleging that the Centre was deaf towards farmers’ loan waiver demand, he said the previous Congress government led by him and the current dispensation supported by his party in the state has implemented such waiver and questioned the Modi governments ‘silence’ on doubling farmers income in 5 years.

He also hit out at the hike in tax on petrol and diesel, saying it would impact common man as prices of various commodities and freight charges would also increase.

Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said the budget has no coherent plan to fix the “broken economy.”

“#Budget2019 has no significant initiatives on agriculture, farmers, tackling drought, infrastructure, water, railways, jobs, etc.

No respite for middle-class taxpayers. There is no coherent plan to fix the broken economy, leave alone making it a 5 trillion dollar one,” he tweeted.

State BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa termed the budget as development oriented and congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman for it.

The most striking feature of the budget was the decision to take up various structural and financial changes in the economy to boost infrastructure, investment and other facilities without burdening the people, he said.