SHIMLA: Senior BJP leader and former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister P K Dhumal has hailed the Union Budget as "historic, revolutionary, balanced, progressive, pragmatic and pro-people" with focus on social security for the poor and senior citizens.
On allocation of additional Rs 5,000 crore for MGNREGA schemes, Dhumal said this would help increase wages of the labourers. He said the bill against black money would go a long way in punishing the defaulters and bring back amounts stashed in banks abroad.
Dhumal said opening of AIIMS in Himachal Pradesh would offer world class health facilities for the Himachalis and congratulated Finance Minister Arun Jaitely for hike in allocation for the defence sector.
BJP state Chief Satpal Singh Satti said that the budget would put the economy back on rail and welcomed the move for devolution of 62 per cent of revenue receipts to the states.
State BJP spokesperson Ganesh Dutt said that every family would have a roof on his or her head by 2022 and about six crore toilets would be constructed in the country, which speaks volumes about the concern of the government towards the common man. He said BJP welcomes the move for universal social security system, backed by insurance cover.