M.P. CM says Budget has new vision for innovation, AI; Congress slams ‘no provision for debt-ridden State’

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday (February 1, 2025) praised Union Budget 2025 saying that it has special provisions for the poor, women, youth and farmers as well as for start-ups, innovation and artificial intelligence (AI).

Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a statement, Mr. Yadav said: “This welfare, all-encompassing and inclusive Budget is full of the spirit of ‘antyodaya’ and a new vision of innovation, incorporating various sectors like start-ups, innovation and artificial intelligence along with the overall development of the poor, youth, farmers and women power of the country.”

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Madhya Pradesh did not receive any specific allocations in the Budget presented by Ms. Sitharaman. However, various schemes and announcements are expected to benefit sections of the State’s public.

The announcement of a new scheme to provide term loans up to ₹2 crore to five lakh woman, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe entrepreneurs during the next five years may benefit the State’s significant population of tribal and SC communities.

Welcoming the decision to exempt those with income up to ₹12 lakh from income tax, Mr. Yadav said the move will “prove to be decisive in empowering the middle class”.

Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Jitu Patwari, however, slammed the Budget and said that it does not have any “concrete plan” for the farmers and unemployed youth.

“The farmers of the country are already in a bad condition, but still no concrete plan has been made for the farmers in this Budget. Unemployment is increasing continuously, the youth are wandering in search of employment, but the government has only juggled the numbers instead of giving them opportunities,” Mr. Patwari said, charging that the Budget is only “beneficial for the capitalists”.

“This Budget is going to benefit the industrialists, while the poor and the middle class have not been given any relief in it. Inflation is at its peak, essential commodities are becoming out of the reach of the common man, but the government has not taken any step in this direction,” he added.

Mr. Patwari also alleged that the Budget “clearly shows” that the Union government under Mr. Modi is only working for a “select few industrialists”.

Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath took on the BJP-led Union government for not making any special provisions for M.P., saying that the State is “continuously reeling under debt”.

“The economy of Madhya Pradesh is already weak and the State is continuously sinking in the quagmire of debt. The Central government has not given any help to the State to fulfil the promises like giving increased MSP of wheat and paddy to the farmers of Madhya Pradesh, doubling the income of farmers, giving ₹3,000 per month to Ladli Behnas,” Mr. Nath wrote on social media platform X.

The BJP, in its manifesto for the 2023 Assembly Election, had promised to increase the current amount of ₹1,250 given to eligible women under the Ladli Behna Scheme to ₹3,000 gradually. However, the scheme has seen no increase after the elections in November 2023.