D Fadnavis’ Budget Dig At Uddhav Thackeray

Nagpur: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday made light of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray’s criticism of the budget by saying the latter had himself once admitted he does not understand it.

The budget for 2024-25 presented in the Assembly earlier in the day by deputy chief minister and finance minister Ajit Pawar brings happiness to all sections of society with various welfare schemes, Mr Fadnavis asserted while speaking to reporters at the airport here.

Mr Thackeray had described the Maharashtra budget as a “torrent of assurances” and a “false narrative” pretending to offer something to every section of society.

“Uddhav Thackeray had earlier said, and that too on stage, that he does not understand the budget. When he has said something like this then there is no need to respond to his comment,” Me Fadnavis asserted.

Answering a query, the deputy chief minister said cotton and soybean farmers, most of whom are from Vidarbha, will get relief from the budget announcements and financial aid will be deposited in their bank accounts directly.

The decision on DBT for them was taken earlier but could not be implemented due to the model code of conduct in force for the Lok Sabha polls, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader said.

“Dairy farmers will get subsidy of Rs 5 per litre. The Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana, the provision for three free gas cylinders, Rs 10,000 stipend for youth etc have brought happiness to all sections of society. The CM and finance minister have given a very good budget,” he said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)