Lucknow, February 11: Ragini Sonkar, a legislator from the Samajwadi Party (SP), has labeled the budget presented in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly as groundless. In a conversation in Lucknow, Sonkar stated that discussions about the budget were ongoing and that it should benefit even the person at the last line of society. However, she believes the presented budget is entirely baseless.
Sonkar remarked that despite its large size, the budget resembles a showpiece similar to the central budget. She noted that there are no significant benefits for the agricultural sector. The criteria set for financial assistance for marriages in poor families make it difficult for the needy to benefit. Many daughters have yet to receive the promised scooters, and the same promise has been reiterated this time.
She previously raised concerns about the issues faced by education friends and cooks. Last year, there were promises of cashless facilities, accompanied by large advertisements, but this year, the same old issues have resurfaced. There are no schemes in this budget that genuinely benefit individuals.
While the budget claims to increase funding for healthcare, Sonkar pointed out that people are struggling daily with kidney failure, and there has been no mention of increasing dialysis beds. The number of cancer patients is rising, yet there is no concrete plan to improve chemotherapy centers or appoint super-specialty doctors at the district level. Emergency super-specialty services remain unavailable. The promises made regarding education are limited to paperwork, with government schools closing and providing quality education to poor children becoming increasingly difficult. This budget appears to be aimed at impressing foreign investors, rendering it meaningless for the public.
SP legislator Kamal Akhtar also criticized the budget, stating that hefty budgets have always been presented. The previous budget was substantial, and this one is even larger. A common theme in every budget is the lack of provisions for farmers, youth, and PDA individuals, making this a disappointing budget.
Regarding the one lakh rupee assistance for women, Akhtar questioned how families, regardless of religion, often hide their poverty. He described the government’s collective marriage scheme as one that humiliates people. In today’s world, families prefer that in-laws do not know about the financial aid for their daughters’ weddings. The government organizes gatherings, complete with bands, and the legislator attends, which he believes undermines the dignity of the poor. He suggested that if the government genuinely wants to help, it should conduct thorough investigations and deposit funds directly into family accounts, allowing them to benefit while preserving their dignity.
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