PASIGHAT: Citizens of Siang belt in Arunachal Pradesh including political leaders, farmers and business communities have expressed resentment against the Union Budget.

Former Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Ninong Ering said that there was nothing new in the union budget.

Ering, a Congress MLA from Pasighat- West LAC, observed that the union budget tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday has no focus on the major problems of the Northeastern region and it does not put emphasis on the education sector.

“The union government should pay special attention to the states like Arunachal Pradesh, which in fact has not done. Apart from Holongi and Tripura airport, the budget had not included any major issues of the region” Ering said at Ruksin on Tuesday.

MLA Ering however, stated the taxpayers of the state might be happy over the budget as it has not induced them to pay additional tax.

Senior Congress leader and MLA Lombo Tayeng termed the union budget as ‘election centric’ and said that it is nothing but mere eyewash of the BJP led Central government to hide its failures.

Tabi Mize, an organizer of the farmers association in Siang district, said that the union budget has no focus on the agriculture and allied sectors.

He said, “The State has rich potential for agriculture, horticulture and allied activities, which are yet to be harnessed. But, the union budget has no concern to boost the agri-horti sectors of Arunachal and other Northeastern states.”

The business communities of historical Pasighat town in East Siang district have also expressed their dismay over the union budget.

They said that nothing has been mentioned in the budget for the revival of the collapsed economy for the business communities, who have been bruised by the Covid-19 lockdown.

Prafulla Kaman is Northeast Now Correspondent in Dhemaji. He can be reached at: [email protected]