The unveiling of Madhya Pradesh’s Rs 4.38 lakh crore budget by Finance Minister Jagdish Devda has ignited a storm of controversy, with Congress decrying it as a ‘fraudulent’ document preying on citizens’ hopes. While the BJP hails it as people-centric, opposition voices reveal a starkly different picture of fiscal mismanagement.
Congress stalwart Jitu Patwari led the charge, terming the budget a mechanism to ‘extract the public’s blood.’ In Bhopal interactions, he grilled the absence of deficit-closing plans, unutilized prior funds, and neglect of 33 closed schemes—painting a portrait of a state adrift without direction. ‘Prioritize anti-corruption over pet projects like dog neutering to avert economic collapse,’ he implored.
Umang Singhar’s analysis cuts deeper: acknowledging a Rs 74,000 crore hole in a Rs 6 lakh crore debt saga, he highlighted per-capita burdens exceeding Rs 60,000 and farmers’ heavier loads. Social media posts demand answers on debt resolution. Gaps abound—no farmer income doubling, job scarcity for youth, stalled DA for workers, unchecked electricity hikes favoring corporates.
Interest payments devour 16% of income, eclipsing departmental outlays. Symbolic gestures like naming 2026 Farmers’ Welfare Year falter sans allocations, and investor summit hype of Rs 33 lakh crore investments hides past underperformance with zero job stats disclosed.
This budget showdown signals escalating tensions, compelling the government to confront critiques head-on as Madhya Pradesh navigates debt, development, and democratic accountability.