New Delhi/Mumbai, Feb 4: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar failed to attend the pre-budget meetings convened by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss the requirements of the State, it was learned.

 

Union Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Karad, according to reports, slammed Thackeray and Pawar for not attending the pre-budget consultation meetings called by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

 

Karad on Thursday said that these meetings were convened for discussing the Union Budget for 2022-23. The Minister said that out of the 12-13 meetings for the budget, the Maharashtra Chief Minister and Finance Minister were called for two meetings by the Union Minister. "But neither the Chief Minister nor the state Finance Minister was present at the two meetings," he added.

 

Karad further said that Maharashtra Chief Minister might be busy but the state’s Finance Minister Ajit Pawar should have at least attended the meeting called by the Union Finance Ministry. Had the state been represented in these meetings it would have been beneficial for Maharashtra, Karad said.

 

The budget was presented to the Parliament on Feb 1 as per the schedule. However, reacting to the budget the state Finance Minister criticized the budget for ‘neglecting’ the state.