'1st engine of growth neglected', farm leaders call budget 'pro-corporate'

WHILE the Union Budget positioned agriculture as the "first engine of growth" to boost the sector, farmers and agricultural experts have expressed disappointment, arguing that the budget offers little for agriculture and favours corporate interests.

- HARPREET BAJWA @Chandigarh

Agricultural expert Davinder Sharma said that when Arun Jaitley presented his first budget in 2014, he had listed farmers' income as one of his top five priorities.

"Now, in 2025, farmers' income is at the bottom of the priority list. We had hoped that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would continue from where Jaitley left off. While she has labelled agriculture as the first engine of growth, in reality, it remains neglected," he said.