Gujarat Congress MP Geniben Thakor didn’t mince words on Monday, blasting the 2026-27 Union Budget as woefully inadequate for key demographics: farmers, women, and youth. Speaking from Tharad, her reaction to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s presentation paints a picture of a fiscal plan disconnected from ground realities.
At the heart of her criticism is the agricultural sector’s neglect. Farmers grapple with escalating input costs and inadequate support systems, but the budget offers no solid relief. Issues like MSP guarantees, affordable fertilizers, seeds, better irrigation, and income security have been brushed aside, disappointing producers in regions like Banaskantha.
Women, too, draw no new lifelines. The absence of schemes promoting jobs, entrepreneurship, or financial autonomy signals a missed opportunity to uplift this vital group.
For the youth, the budget is a non-starter on employment. With unemployment rates soaring, there’s no roadmap or deadlines for creating jobs, leaving millions in limbo.
Thakor extended her ire to paltry funding in education, health, rural infrastructure, and basic development—areas that touch every citizen’s life but lack the robust investment required.
Rather than broad-based support, the budget seems tailored to benefit a narrow segment, she alleged. Heavy emphasis on capex, infrastructure, and niche projects like heritage sites in Lothal, Dholavira, urban development, and municipal finance reforms dominate, but at what cost to the common man?
‘This budget fails to reflect the dreams of everyday people,’ Thakor concluded. Her pointed remarks fuel opposition demands for revisions, highlighting the budget’s urban bias amid rural distress.
