Jaipur, Feb 1 (IANS): Congress National General Secretary, Sachin Pilot, criticised the Union Budget presented in Parliament on Saturday, calling it “politically driven” and “short-sighted”, with a blatant “disregard” for farmers.

Pilot said that the Finance Minister failed to address the progress of past promises, such as doubling farmers' income, curbing inflation, and generating employment.

He emphasised that the government's dependence on allies for survival is evident in the budget, making it more of a “political tool” than an economic roadmap.

Highlighting the neglect of farmers, he pointed out that the long-standing demand for a legal guarantee on MSP has been completely ignored.

Merely increasing the credit limit on Kisan Credit Cards, he argued, offers no real relief, as it only provides short-term loans.

He also expressed disappointment over the unchanged allocation of ?86,000 crore for MNREGA, which he believes is crucial for strengthening the rural economy.

Pilot also criticised the budget’s lack of focus on Rajasthan, citing the absence of any commitment towards the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) and the Yamuna Water Scheme.

He called this omission a betrayal of the state's people and also noted that no new railway projects were announced, nor was there any progress on previously approved projects, reflecting the Union government's indifference towards Rajasthan.

He also blamed the state government for failing to secure any new central schemes for Rajasthan.

Furthermore, he accused the Union government of weakening the economy by burdening the country with debt.

He pointed out that while Rs 12.76 lakh crore has been earmarked for interest payments next year, capital expenditure stands at only Rs 11.24 lakh crore, highlighting the government's financial mismanagement.