Expressing dissatisfaction over the chief minister’s reply to a discussion on the state budget for 2013-14, the opposition BJP staged walkout from the Himachal Pradesh assembly.
In the discussion, opposition accused the Congress led government of being anti-poor and betraying the unemployed youth. The BJP staged a walkout shortly before the house was to adjourn for the day.
Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal accused the Congress Govt of changing the names of government schemes started during his regime. He also lambasted Govt decision of increasing value added tax (VAT) on shoes, which he believed to hit the common man.
However, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh claimed budget as growth-oriented and targeted. He said that in this budget Govt has taken care of every section of the society and especially started numerous schemes for farmers, including increasing subsidy on poly-houses, high yielding varieties of seeds and hail nets. CM said that Govt was set to introduce special package for encouraging industrial investment in the state.
He said that this budget is people-centric with focus on social equity. While attacking on opposition, Singh said that apprehensions reflected their closed mindset. He alleged that the Opposition had drawn a wrong conclusion as it had not read the Budget document carefully.
He claimed that the Opposition has been taken aback with the fulfilment of the promise of the Congress to the unemployed youth and was raising an unnecessary hue and cry over it.
