The two Telugu States got a raw deal in the Union Budget. Except for general allocations to the two Telugu states, there were no special allocations. At the same time, nearly one and a half lakh crore has been allotted to the states where elections are to be held this year. Allocations were huge for Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam. It can be said that unexpected allocations have been made to check the dominance of regional parties in these states where elections are to be held. Apart from that, as per the analyst, the BJP has no chance of gaining power except in Assam and Puducherry and this is the reason why the party wants to win elections by allocating funds. Of the total budget of Rs 34 lakh Crore, the lion’s share of the allocation to the states would go to the states where elections will be held. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman even quoted Nobel laureate and Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore in her Union Budget 2021-22 speech. Although it is a coincidence, it can be said that the BJP is giving priority to sentiment in the case of West Bengal.
Tamil Nadu, Kerala: The Centre has allocated Rs 1.35 lakh crore in the budget for road development in Tamil Nadu, of which Rs 63,246 crore has been earmarked for Chennai Metro and Rs 18,000 crore for Tamil Nadu bus transport. Kerala has also been allotted a portion of the funds. Elections are going to be held in this State this year. Rs 1957 crore has been allotted for the development of Kochi Metro Rail Phase-2. About Rs 65,000 crore will be spent on various development works. Apart from this, Rs 14,788 crore has been provided for the expansion of Bangalore, Nagpur and Kochi metro lines and for Bangalore Metro and 1100 km of highway will be widened and constructed.
The BJP, which is trying its best to wrest power from Mamata Banerjee has used the advantage in the budget as well. Rs 95,000 crore has been earmarked for the state. Apart from these, welfare programs in the border areas, funds to the Special Economic Zone and funds to the Kolkata Railway. In this budget, Rs 95,000 crore has been allocated for the construction of 675 km of roads and Rs 95,000 crore for development of roads.
As the BJP has expectations on the state in the upcoming elections, Assam has been heavily funded. The government would develop 1,300 km of highways in the next three years at a cost of Rs 34,000 crore and Rs 19,000 crore have been earmarked for highways alone.
It can be said that injustice has been done to AP and Telangana. Criticisms are coming from both States for the lack of special allocations. It is noteworthy that AP is a new state, there is a lack of funds for the construction of projects and there is no allocation for the construction of several projects in Telangana and the progress of Hyderabad. At the same time, there are comments on social media that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has shown a raw deal to the Telugu states by allocating more funds to her native of Tamil Nadu.
