GUWAHATI, March 12 � Members of the treasury bench today described the State Budget presented by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in the State Assembly here yesterday for the 2013-14 fiscal as a development-oriented progressive one. On the contrary, Opposition members described it as a �highly ambitious� document so far as the projected overall growth rate during the fiscal is concerned. It needs mention here that the Chief Minister in his Budget speech had expected 8 per cent growth of the State in 2013-14 fiscal.
Initiating the debate on the Budget Membor Gogoi (Congress) claimed that the Chief Minister had presented a pro-people Budget. The Budget will usher in further development in the State.
He mentioned the proposal for a 375-bed capacity super specialty hospital at a cost of Rs 127 crore and also the 200-bed cancer hospital the Budget has proposed as examples of the measures proposed by the Budget, among others, for the benefit of the people.
The metro rail mass transport system, the drainage system, the steps for conservation of the wetlands etc., proposed for Guwahati city were also mentioned by Gogoi in this connection.
The six-lane road bridge over the Brahmaputra between Narengi on the south bank and Kuruwa on the north bank proposed by the Budget was described by the senior Congress legislator as a historic proposal.
AIUDF Legislature Party leader Sirajuddin Ajmal attributed the projected per capita income of the State at Rs 42,036 to inflation. The comparison done by the Budget of the wholesale price index of only agricultural commodities of the State with the all India wholesale price index is also misleading, he said.
He suggested a pre-budget discussion, involving the civil society for formulating the budget proposals in a way that reflect the hopes and aspirations of all sections of the society.
Kamal Singh Narzary (BPF) described the Budget as an epoch-making one. This will be able to work as the base for laying the foundation of the future economic growth of the State. It has taken into consideration the developmental needs of all sections of the people, he claimed.
Abdur Rahman Ajmal (AIUDF) alleged that the Budget has not taken into consideration the interest of the farmers. He suggested that a jute industry should be set up to provide succour to the jute farmers who are not getting remunerative price for their produce.
