Rajasthan’s fiscal health better than that of Centre, says Gehlot

He said, “All the financial indicators of the Rajasthan government have been better than the Government of India. The state GDP of Rajasthan was around Rs 9 lakh crore in 2018, which increased to about Rs 15 lakh crore in 2023 and Rajasthan reached number one in north India — and number two in the country — in economic growth rate.”

He alleged that “With today’s vote on account, the BJP government of Rajasthan has deflated Modi’s guarantee because in the elections, Modi ji had given a guarantee to make the prices of petrol and diesel in Rajasthan at par with the neighbouring states like Gujarat and UP, but today in the vote of account, it was not even mentioned. This shows that Modi’s guarantees are completely hollow” and claimed that the word “guarantee” itself was stolen by the PM from the Congress party’s campaign. Meanwhile, post budget, the Rajasthan Petroleum Dealers Association said that there is “deep dissatisfaction” among the common people, farmers and the petrol pump dealers since no decrease in VAT on petrol or diesel was announced, and recalled the PM’s statements on the same during elections.

Gehlot also accused the BJP government of “anti-farmer thinking” saying that the BJP government has abolished the separate agriculture budget started by our government whereas the honourable Agriculture Minister of the present BJP government had welcomed this initiative of ours after assuming office.”

With the Finance Minister announcing extension of Jaipur Metro, Gehlot said that his government’s vision was right even a decade ago and if the previous 2013-2018 BJP government had not stopped its work, “then the metro would have been ready at a lower cost and the situation of heavy traffic jam in Jaipur today would not have arisen.”