The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in punjab has strongly criticised the Union Budget 2026 presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, alleging that the Centre has once again overlooked the state’s priorities. According to AAP leaders, the budget does not adequately address the pressing needs of Punjab’s farmers, women, youth, and strategically sensitive border regions.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive Union Budget in Parliament on Sunday. The budget outlined major national priorities such as infrastructure expansion, boosting domestic manufacturing, increasing defence expenditure, simplifying taxation, and laying out a long-term roadmap for economic growth.
However, Punjab’s ruling party believes that these broad objectives have come at the cost of ignoring state-specific challenges, particularly those faced by border states like Punjab.
AAP Punjab Calls Budget a “Disappointment”
Aman Arora, AAP Punjab president and a senior cabinet minister, strongly criticised the budget, calling it yet another disappointment for the country and especially for Punjab.
“Like every year, this time too nothing special has been done in the budget,” Arora said, adding that there was no meaningful financial relief or targeted schemes for families, women, or farmers.
He further accused the BJP-led central government of failing to fulfil the “big promises” it had made during elections, claiming that the budget lacked concrete measures to support vulnerable sections of society.
Allegations of Unfair Treatment Towards Punjab
Arora expressed particular dissatisfaction over what he described as the continued neglect of Punjab.
“Especially for Punjab, no new project has been provisioned in any manner,” he said, stressing that the state had been left out of major development initiatives announced in the budget.
Highlighting Punjab’s historical role, Arora noted that the state has always stood at the forefront—whether during wars, periods of food shortage, or the fight against terrorism.
“Even today, the central government has treated Punjab with disrespect, which is extremely unfortunate,” he said, expressing deep regret over the budget’s approach towards the state.
He urged the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop treating Punjab “like a foreign country again and again” and instead recognise its sacrifices and contributions to national security and food security.
Farmers’ Issues Allegedly Ignored
Echoing similar concerns, Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar stated that the budget ignored the immense contribution of Punjab’s farmers to the country’s food basket.
According to Bhullar, the Centre failed to announce any substantial measures for crop diversification, disaster risk protection, or strengthening the Minimum Support Price (MSP) framework.
“The BJP government at the Centre should be ashamed, because this budget has once again rejected the rights of Punjab’s farmers,” Bhullar said.
He added that without concrete policy support, farmers in Punjab would continue to face economic uncertainty despite being central to India’s agricultural stability.
AAP MPs Flag Absence of Punjab in Budget Speech
AAP Member of Parliament Gurmeet Singh Hayer also criticised the Union Budget, pointing out that Punjab was not even mentioned during the budget speech.
“Not only was nothing allocated to Punjab, but the name of Punjab was not mentioned even once,” Hayer said.
He noted that there were expectations of a special package for Punjab’s border areas, industrial development, and Agriculture sector, but those hopes were dashed.
According to Hayer, the budget has “deeply disappointed Punjab” at a time when the state is grappling with economic stress, agrarian challenges, and heightened security responsibilities due to its border location.
Key AAP Criticisms of Union Budget 2026
| Area of Concern | AAP’s Expectation | Budget 2026 Outcome (As Alleged by AAP) |
|---|---|---|
| Farmers & Agriculture | MSP support, crop diversification, disaster protection | No major announcements |
| Border Areas | Special development and security package | No specific allocation |
| State Projects | New infrastructure and industrial projects | No new Punjab-focused projects |
| Recognition in Budget Speech | Explicit mention of Punjab | Punjab not mentioned |
Growing Political Tensions Over Budget Allocation
The strong reaction from AAP leaders reflects growing political tension between the Punjab government and the Centre over budgetary priorities and federal fairness.
While the Union Budget 2026 focuses on national-level economic goals, the AAP maintains that states like Punjab—despite their strategic, agricultural, and historical importance—continue to be sidelined.
With Punjab facing ongoing agrarian distress, Border Security challenges, and demands for industrial revival, AAP leaders argue that future budgets must take a more region-sensitive approach to ensure inclusive growth.
For now, the party insists that Budget 2026 has failed to meet Punjab’s expectations, reinforcing its narrative of neglect by the Centre.
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