Punjab Leadership Decries Federal Budget as Deficient in Critical Support Measures

In a formal assessment of the recently announced Union Budget, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has issued a pointed critique, characterizing the fiscal plan as a recurrent failure to address the state's core economic vulnerabilities. The analysis centers on three principal deficits: the absence of a Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantee mechanism for the agricultural sector, a lack of concrete employment generation assurances for the youth demographic, and insufficient relief measures for both industrial revitalization and taxation burdens. This official response frames the budget not as a singular oversight but as part of a concerning pattern of federal allocation that, according to the state's executive leadership, systematically overlooks Punjab's distinct socio-economic profile. The statement elevates the discourse from regional grievance to a matter of strategic economic policy, questioning the alignment of national fiscal planning with the stabilization needs of key agrarian and industrial states. The critique implies potential ramifications for sectoral confidence and long-term economic planning within the state, positioning the budget's reception as a barometer for center-state policy coordination on pivotal development issues.