Mamata Banerjee/PTI
Expressing concern over monetary provisions to meet the Interim Budget proposals, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday described the document as a "farce" and "manifesto of the BJP".
"The budget proposals will be not implemented... New government will present the budget. This government's expiry date will be over in one month. What will they implement in one month?" she told reporters here, in an obvious allusion to the coming Lok Sabha polls.
There is "no future" of the Interim Budget ahead of the elections, she said.
"Nobody knows the financial situation of this country now. If we interpret correctly, it is obvious that economic emergency is going in our country. Our apprehension is where the money will come from? How the money will be managed," she said.
"They are telling lies and cheating people...this budget is a farce and (election) manifesto of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to cheat people," Banerjee said
She said the Central budget does not provide extra funds for MGNREGA and there is "no increase in allocation" for rural development programmes, which would be effectively less if inflation is factored in".
She also said Swachh Bharat Mission received 25 per cent less allocation and the fund allotted for skill development scheme is less.
"SC/ST allocation was also decreased by about 29 per cent," she said.
According to her, non-performing assets (NPA) increased to over Rs 10 lakh, up five times during the term of the incumbent National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
The government has "no moral authority or responsibility for presenting a full year's budget, when it won't be in power after elections", she said.
When asked about Centre's announcement of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme providing Rs 6,000 direct cash transfer to small farmers per year, she said: "This is absolutely value less. They are so desperate politically. Why didn't they announce this budget earlier and why they did not announce single agenda for farmers?"
