Tripura Leader of the Opposition and CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury on Sunday criticised the Union Budget 2026, alleging that it underlines a weakening economy and fails to offer meaningful support to ordinary citizens.
Reacting to the budget shortly after it was presented, Chaudhury said the government’s past performance left little room for confidence that the new proposals would address public concerns. He remarked that, much like earlier years, the budget relied heavily on slogans and optimistic claims rather than concrete policy measures.
Pointing to the revised estimates, the CPI(M) leader argued that the Centre had fallen short of its own revenue targets across several categories. This, he said, had a direct impact on expenditure and reflected poor financial planning.
Chaudhury also accused the government of neglecting critical sectors such as agriculture and social welfare. He claimed allocations for fertiliser subsidies, irrigation and other people-centric programmes were inadequate, while policy priorities appeared to favour corporate interests.
Taking aim at the Centre’s broader economic approach, he alleged that corporate loan waivers were being prioritised even as common people continued to face high excise duties on essential goods. According to him, this imbalance had added to public hardship.
He further claimed that investment levels in both public and private sectors were on the decline. Referring to schemes like VBGRAMG, he said that shifting part of the financial responsibility to state governments without adequate central support showed a lack of seriousness in implementation.
Chaudhury also highlighted that many states were struggling to meet Goods and Services Tax collection targets set at the start of the financial year, which he said was another indicator of economic stress.
Overall, the CPI(M) leader described the budget as disappointing, asserting that it offered no fresh vision for growth or relief for the wider population.