Chandigarh, Mar 18 (PTI) Opposition Congress MLAs on Tuesday dubbed the Haryana budget for 2025-26 as disappointing, claiming there is nothing in it for the common people, while ruling BJP legislators hailed it as progressive and said many initiatives in it are futuristic.

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini presented a Rs 2.05 lakh crore budget for 2025-26 on Monday, making various announcements, including earmarking Rs 5,000 crore for the ‘Lado Lakshmi Yojana’ and setting up an authority to tackle drug abuse.

Participating in the discussion on the state budget in the State Assembly on Tuesday, Congress member Ashok Arora termed the budget disappointing. He said common people were expecting some relief "due to high inflation," but that has not happened.

"People were hoping the VAT rate would also be lowered, but that has not happened," he said.

"Good education, health, and the security of citizens should be the priority for the government, but the allocations made are not satisfactory,” Arora claimed.

Referring to the budget proposal that women farmers engaged in dairy farming, horticulture, animal husbandry, and fisheries would be given an interest-free loan of Rs 1 lakh, Arora said, “With this amount, they cannot even purchase a buffalo." With the Chief Minister proposing an increase in the subsidy amount for direct sowing of paddy from Rs 4,000 per acre to Rs 4,500 per acre, Arora said it should be at least Rs 10,000 per acre.

He also expressed concern over the "mounting debt" and said, "It will also impact the state’s development." However, BJP MLA Manmohan Bhadana hailed several initiatives taken in the budget. He said a new department named the “Department of Future” had been proposed, which would make Haryana “future-capable.” During the past ten years, the Haryana government has placed a strong emphasis on e-governance, he said, pointing out that the state has witnessed development under the BJP regime.

Bhadana also hailed the budget proposal to establish the Haryana AI (Artificial Intelligence) Mission, in which the World Bank has assured assistance of Rs 474 crore.

"Establishing the Haryana AI Mission is a good initiative… The budget is progressive and futuristic,” he said.

Congress MLA B B Batra stated that the revenue deficit should not be compensated for by borrowings, expressing concern over the "mounting debt liability." "The practice of borrowing to compensate for the revenue deficit is not correct," he said.

"In 2013-2014, the revenue deficit was Rs 3,875 crore, which has increased six times in ten years. This is not good for the economy," the Congrtess MLA said.

Batra also said there is no comparison between the development the state witnessed during the Congress regime headed by Bhupinder Singh Hooda and the ten years of the BJP regime.

"During Congress’ time, the state witnessed growth in various sectors, including infrastructure, and premier educational institutes such as medical and engineering colleges were set up, and the road network was expanded… there is no comparison," Batra said.

Taking part in the discussion, Congress MLA Shishpal Keharwala said, "Haryana is agriculture-dependent… the government claims it gives MSP and has empowered farmers. Seventy percent of the population comprises farmers, but only 4 percent has been allocated for agriculture in this budget." "The government says they are procuring crops at MSP," he said.

Keharwala referred to 2024-2025 figures, according to which over 61 lakh metric tonnes of wheat were procured, whereas the total production was over 110 lakh metric tonnes, "which means nearly half was procured at MSP." "Likewise, only 25 percent of moong was procured at MSP," he said, while alleging the same applied to cotton, maize, bajra, and groundnut, where not all the produce was procured at MSP. PTI SUN ARD ARD

State budget allocations focus on targeted schemes and AI initiatives, amid critiques over revenue deficit financing and agricultural support. The 2025-26 Haryana state budget announces targeted schemes-interest free loans for women farmers, higher direct sowing subsidies, a drug abuse authority, a Department of Future and a Haryana AI Mission with external assistance-while prompting opposition criticism over inadequate allocations for education, health and security, insufficient agricultural support and procurement, and concern that rising revenue deficits and mounting borrowings are being used to finance recurring expenditure.