Chandigarh Member of Parliament, Manish Tewari criticised the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, stating that it offered nothing for Chandigarh. He pointed out that the total allocation for Chandigarh increased slightly from Rs 5,838.66 crore in FY 2024-25 to Rs 6,187.48 crore in FY 2025-26, but this barely covered the 5.22 per cent annual inflation.
Tewari also noted that the entire northern region, including Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Chandigarh, had been left out in the Budget. He criticised the lack of support for farmers who have been protesting for years in Punjab and Haryana.
On the other hand, Jatinder Pal Malhotra, president of the city BJP, praised the Budget, calling it a comprehensive development budget that offered multiple benefits to both Chandigarh and the country. He highlighted the government’s decision to exempt individuals with income up to Rs 12 lakh from paying income tax, which he saw as a significant move to ease the financial burden on low and middle-income households.
However, Chandigarh Congress president HS Lucky expressed disappointment with the Budget, stating that it did not provide substantial relief or increase the allocation for Chandigarh.
He emphasised that the Budget failed to address critical issues such as unemployment, poverty, and inflation, and noted there were no new jobs, infrastructure projects, or increased investments in healthcare, education, or the Smart City initiative.
Also Read: Cong 'betrayed' us: AAP on losing Chandigarh mayoral polls
Prem Garg, a chartered accountant and senior leader of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Chandigarh, called the Budget “old wine in a new bottle.” He argued that the Finance Ministers have been presenting such budget proposals with grand promises for years, but the results never live up to expectations.
Garg also suggested that the tax proposals, especially the increase in the tax exemption limit from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 12 lakh, were likely timed to coincide with the upcoming Delhi elections.
In contrast, Rajya Sabha Member Satnam Singh Sandhu called the Budget a people's Budget, highlighting initiatives for startups, including the Deep Tech Fund, Geospatial Mission, and Nuclear Energy Mission. He stated that the Budget would boost savings, investment, consumption, and growth.
Deepa Dubey, the former Mahila Congress president in Chandigarh, called the Budget “anti-women”. She criticized the Central Government for ignoring women in the Budget, despite the fact that the Finance Minister is a woman herself.
Dubey pointed out that there were no provisions for women’s safety, facilities for young girls, or support for elderly, pregnant, or widowed women.
Also Read: Industry leaders hail Budget 25 for driving 'innovation, job creation'
Follow us
