PANAJI
From South Goa MP, Viriato Fernandes to Leader of the Opposition, Yuri Alemao and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Venzy Viegas, Goa's politicians in the Opposition have all given the thumbs down to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the budget she presented, despite the tax relief in it for the salaried middle class.
"Only disappointment for Goa in the Union budget," was Alemao's first reaction to Sitharaman's budget speech, saying States ruled by the BJP's alliance partners like Bihar got the chunk while others like Goa were left high and dry.
Alemao said Sitharaman has disappointed Goa as the Budget has nothing for it.
“The Main Engine seems to have forgotten the Engine in Goa. While alliance partners like Bihar have got the chunk of the Budget announcement, Goa has been seemingly overlooked,” he said.
Alemao also asked what happened to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s proposal for a Metro and additional funds for Goa for which he had met Sitharaman and other Union ministers in Delhi.
“Goa needs additional funds for saving Mhadei and water pipelines, sewerage connections, better internal roads, better public transport, improved education and health infrastructure besides saving coastal areas from climate change,” he said.
On the income tax rebates for up to Rs11 lakh annual income, Alemao said it has confused people as the finance minister only talks of the Income Tax slab increased to Rs 12 lakh and vague as of now because the news reports suggest you have to pay 10 per cent tax on income of 11 lakh.
In Delhi where he attended the budget session in Parliament, South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes called it "disappointing for the common man".
The budget he said has let down the people of the country not addressing unemployment, education and health appropriately.
Also in Delhi to participate in the election campaigning there, Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Benaulim MLA, Venzy Viegas called Budget 2025 a "clever trick before Delhi elections".
"Without the income tax bill, it's hard not to feel like this budget is all smoke and mirrors. Let's take a closer look at the sectors that really matter: Education, Health, Transport, Agriculture, and IT. Sadly, they seem to have taken a backseat in this budget," Viegas said in a statement.
