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N.D. Tiwari hails the Union Budget

Staff Correspondent

Would help in achieving 10 % growth rate soon

DEHRA DUN: Uttaranchal Chief Minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari on Tuesday described the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram as an instrument aimed at accelerating the pace of India's development into a powerful nation.

Commenting on the Budget, Mr. Tiwari hoped the provisions would help the country in achieving a 10 per cent growth rate in the very near future.

"The quantum increase in the allocations in the fields of rural roads, health and agriculture shows that Mr. Chidambaram has tried to help the poor and the farmers," Mr. Tiwari told The Hindu. Mr. Tiwari expressed optimism over getting sufficient Central support to meet the requirements of the next State Annual Plan of Rs. 4,000 crores. The plan includes schemes to improve the roads network, education, health, agriculture and remove disparities in backward areas. Former Uttaranchal Finance Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, however, felt that the Budget had failed to fulfil even a part of the hill people's aspirations. "The industrial package announced during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's rule continues to remain diluted and no special package has been announced for this cash-strapped State where a better part of the funds go into the `maintenance' of ruling politicians and certain corrupt bureaucrats," he said. Mr. Nishank wanted the Centre to immediately send a team to the State to study the drought situation and provide relief to the farmers who had lost over 50 per cent of their wheat, sugar cane, vegetables and fruits crops.

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N.D. Tiwari hails the Union Budget

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