Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, February 3
BJP spokesperson and MLA Randhir Sharma on Tuesday defended the budget, calling it a strong step towards a developed and self-reliant India. He dismissed opposition claims that Himachal Pradesh had been ignored in the allocation of funds.
Sharma said the issue was not with the Centre but with the state government’s implementation of schemes, which had prevented the region from fully benefiting from central initiatives.
“The Union Budget reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a developed and self-reliant India,” Sharma said. “Despite global economic uncertainties, India’s economy is progressing steadily. The budget has taken a balanced and forward-looking approach, prioritising defence, the semiconductor mission, rare earth material mission, and the manufacturing sector to make the country self-reliant.”
He added that the focus is on expanding infrastructure, rural roads, and welfare schemes for farmers, labourers, and women, while promoting industrial growth and employment in smaller towns.
Countering state government criticism, Sharma said, “It is wrong to claim that Himachal has received nothing. Budgets allocate schemes, not states. If the Himachal government uses central schemes effectively, the state can benefit in industry, tourism, agriculture, and infrastructure.”
Sharma highlighted opportunities in railway expansion, small industries, bio-pharma, village industries, and handicrafts, urging better coordination between state and Centre. He accused the opposition of blaming the central government to cover up its own failures and clarified that the RDG scheme had not been withdrawn selectively from Himachal but from all states governed by BJP, citing misuse by the state government.
He concluded, “If the state government works sincerely, Himachal can fully benefit from the Union Budget. The BJP-led Centre has always strived to support Himachal, unlike Congress, which has a record of denial.”
