West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee terms Union Budget as 'completely visionless'

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday came down heavily on the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharama terming it as "completely visionless".

"Budget 2019 is completely visionless. In fact, the total vision is derailed. On top of it, not only have they imposed cess but also special additional excise duty on petrol and diesel leading to price increase by nearly Rs 2.50/litre for petrol and Rs 2.30/litre for diesel," the Chief Minister said in a tweet.

Terming the hike in petrol-diesel prices as "Election Prize", Mamata said, "As a result, price hikes will hit from transport to market to kitchens. Commoners are suffering and suffering...This is Election Prize!!"

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said an additional excise duty and road and infrastructure cess of one rupee will be imposed on petrol and diesel.

Presenting the Union Budget, she said crude prices have softened from their highs and it gives her room to review excise duty and cess on petrol and diesel.

"I propose to increase special additional excise duty and road and infrastructure cess each by one rupee a litre on petrol and diesel," she said during her budget speech.