AIADMK Criticizes Union Budget as Favoring Bihar Over Tamil Nadu

The AIADMK, Tamil Nadu's primary opposition party, has criticized the Union Budget for lacking tailored initiatives for Tamil Nadu, dubbing it the 'Bihar Budget.' General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami expressed disappointment over the focus on Bihar, amidst upcoming elections, and questioned the feasibility of achieving an 8% growth rate.

The main opposition party in Tamil Nadu, AIADMK, voiced its discontent on Saturday with the recently unveiled Union Budget, branding it as the 'Bihar Budget' for its apparent bias towards the state of Bihar. AIADMK's General Secretary, Edappadi K Palaniswami, criticized the central government for not introducing specific schemes that cater to Tamil Nadu's needs.

Palaniswami, a former Chief Minister, highlighted that the Budget primarily favored Bihar due to the assembly elections scheduled there this year. He argued that the Budget appeared to be more a linguistic exercise than a substantial economic plan, despite the significant increase in the personal income tax exemption limit.

Moreover, Palaniswami noted the absence of vital developments like river water interlinking, railway projects, and MetroRail plans for Coimbatore and Madurai. He emphasized that without initiatives to enhance job opportunities and skill development, the growth rate goal of 8% remains uncertain.

(With inputs from agencies.)