Totally lacklustre: Congress on Union Budget

Congress criticised Union Budget 2026-27 as “lacklustre” and “non-transparent,” saying Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s speech omitted key allocations. While capex rises to Rs 12.2 lakh crore and infrastructure plans were outlined, critics say the budget falls short of expectations

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday said the Union Budget was “totally lacklustre” and fell woefully short of the hype that was generated around it.

Congress general secretary, Communications, Jairam Ramesh said the budget speech given by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was also “non-transparent” as it gave no idea of the budgetary allocations for key programmes and schemes.

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“While the documents need to be studied in detail, it is clear after 90 minutes that Budget 2026/27 falls woefully short of the hype that was generated about it. It was totally lacklustre,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

“The speech was also non-transparent since it gave no idea whatsoever of budgetary allocations for key programmes and schemes,” he said.

In her speech, Sitharaman announced that the target for capex will be raised to Rs 12.2 lakh crore for FY27 from Rs 11.2 lakh crore earmarked for the current fiscal year.

She also announced a slew of measures to boost infrastructure in the country, including in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

The budget came in the backdrop of global uncertainties, trade frictions and US tariffs and slowdown in exports.

This is the third budget of the BJP-led NDA government in its third term in office.