Opposition Leader Launches Scathing Attack on Rajasthan Budget 2026-27
In a fiery debate in the Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday, Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully launched a comprehensive critique of the state's Budget for the fiscal year 2026-27. Jully branded the financial document as a "document of debt, cuts and surrender before the Centre," accusing the ruling BJP government of fiscal mismanagement and failing to deliver on promises.
Allegations of Soaring Debt and Reduced Development Spending
Jully presented a detailed comparison of borrowing patterns, claiming that the current BJP administration is poised to raise loans exceeding Rs 2.2 lakh crore over the next three years. He contrasted this with the approximately Rs 2.3 lakh crore borrowed by the previous Congress government during a five-year tenure that included the challenging Covid-19 pandemic period.
The opposition leader further alleged that the government has significantly slashed development expenditure to artificially project a lower fiscal deficit. He cited capital outlay figures as evidence, noting that the allocation for 2025-26 was reduced from Rs 53,686 crore in the Budget estimates to just Rs 38,288 crore in the revised estimates. This represents a substantial 28% reduction, which Jully warned would severely impact infrastructure projects and hinder economic growth in the state.
Weak Revenue Performance and Central Neglect
Jully also raised concerns about the state's revenue collection, alleging that own tax revenues have fallen 18% below Budget estimates. He described this shortfall as a clear indicator of poor fiscal planning and execution by the current administration.
Questioning the effectiveness of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma's visits to Delhi, Jully argued that central support to Rajasthan is diminishing despite the presence of a "double engine" government—a term often used to describe BJP rule at both state and central levels. He provided specific examples to support his claim:
- The Centre's interest-free loan to Rajasthan was reduced from Rs 15,000 crore to Rs 9,500 crore, marking a 37% cut.
- Rajasthan's share in central taxes fell short by Rs 2,000 crore against a target of Rs 85,716 crore.
- Under the 16th Finance Commission, Rajasthan's share declined from over 6% to approximately 5.9%, resulting in an estimated annual loss of about Rs 1,700 crore.
Criticism of Social and Welfare Program Cuts
Labeling the Budget as anti-women and anti-youth, Jully accused the government of diluting or abandoning earlier commitments. He highlighted several specific areas where promises have been broken:
- Teacher recruitment that initially promised a 50% quota for women has been capped at 30%.
- The Udaan scheme for providing sanitary napkins has been discontinued entirely.
- There is no mention of new government job creation in the current Budget.
Additionally, Jully pointed out that allocations for critical sectors have been reduced. The education budget has fallen from 18.2% to 17.1%, while health spending has decreased from 8.4% to 8.1%.
Social Justice Concerns and Demands for Action
Raising issues of social justice, Jully accused the government of delaying the recruitment of sanitation workers and denying opportunities to the Valmiki community. He demanded special provisions to ensure priority in appointments for marginalized groups.
In a concluding appeal, Jully urged legislators to pass a unanimous Assembly resolution against what he termed injustice by the Finance Commission. He called for the restoration of Rajasthan's share of central funds to support the welfare of the poor, farmers, and youth across the state.
