Chhattisgarh CM hails state budget; Congress calls it disappointing

Raipur, Mar 3 (PTI) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Monday hailed the state budget 2025-26, saying it will shape the state's golden future and will take every section of society to new heights, while the Opposition termed it as "disappointing" with no new provisions.

State Finance Minister OP Choudhary on Monday presented a Rs 1,65,000 crore budget for the fiscal 2025-26 and declared it is based on the theme of 'GATI', focusing on Good Governance, Accelerating Infrastructure, Technology and Industrial Growth.

Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Sai said, "This budget is for the golden future of Chhattisgarh and will take every section to new heights." He said the budget last year was based on the theme of GYAN (Gareeb, Yuva, Annadata and Nari) and focused on developing these four segments.

Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government worked hard for the development of GYAN in the ongoing fiscal and yielded better results, he said.

The budget for 2025-26 is based on the theme of 'GYAN ke liye GATI (Good Governance, Accelerating Infrastructure, Technology, Industrial Growth)', Sai said.

He pointed out that Chhattisgarh is the first state to have a good governance and convergence department.

"This year is the birth centenary of former prime minister Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who founded Chhattisgarh in 2000. We have declared this year as Atal Nirman Varsh and will prioritise infrastructure development," he said, adding that technology will be used more in government works.

The chief minister said to promote industrialisation and attract investments, the state government last year introduced a new industrial policy, under which focus has been given to generating employment.

Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Bhupesh Bahgel, however, termed the budget disappointing and said it had no new provisions.

"The budget has nothing new. Neither does it have anything for farmers or the unemployed. It has no action plan to control the price rise and fight unemployment. The budget has no mention of cooking gas cylinders at Rs 500 as promised by the BJP in its 'Modi ki Guarantee' (poll promises)," Baghel said.

He further said that no work has been done on 'GYAN'. Now, GATI will meet the same fate. PTI TKP ARU

Source: PTI