District Congress spokesperson Anis Khan criticises state Budget, alleges disconnect with ground realities and lack of focus on employment, agriculture and rural economy
Published on: February 25, 2026
By: BTNI
Location: Rajnandgaon, India
District Congress Committee spokesperson Anis Khan has sharply criticised the state Budget presented in the Assembly, describing it as disconnected from grassroots realities and lacking meaningful provisions for villages, farmers and youth. He said that merely increasing the size of the Budget cannot be considered a measure of development unless priorities are aligned with the needs of the common people.
Addressing the media, Khan stated that while the Budget appears large in terms of numbers, it fails to adequately address the real concerns of citizens. He pointed out that nearly 70 percent of the population in Chhattisgarh depends on agriculture, yet there are no clear and concrete targets for increasing farmers’ income, reducing input costs, or significantly expanding irrigation facilities.
“If agriculture and rural sectors are not strengthened as the foundation of the economy, it will be difficult for the state to achieve sustainable economic growth,” he remarked.
The Congress leader also alleged that the discontinuation of the Gothan scheme introduced during the tenure of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has weakened rural economic structures. He said the initiative had emerged as an effective model for cattle protection, local employment generation and strengthening village-level economic activities. According to him, the absence of any mention of the scheme or an alternative arrangement in the Budget reflects neglect of rural priorities by the present government.
Raising the issue of employment, Khan said thousands of government posts remain vacant across departments, yet the Budget does not present a clear roadmap for job creation. He referred to ongoing protests by D.Ed-trained candidates in the state capital and claimed that no concrete provision has been made to address their concerns.
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He further questioned the financial allocations for medical college expansion, arguing that the proposed funds appear inadequate compared to the actual project costs. He also mentioned ongoing protests by mid-day meal workers and contractual employees seeking regularisation, stating that their demands have not found space in the Budget announcements. Additionally, he noted that there was no reference to the promise of providing cooking gas cylinders at subsidised rates for women beneficiaries.
Khan concluded that the Budget does not establish a roadmap for balanced and inclusive development. “Until villages, farmers, youth, women and employees are placed at the centre of policy decisions, claims of development will remain limited to paper,” he said.
