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There was nothing in the budget that could pave the way for economic reforms or raise public consumption an imperative for reviving the economy, he said.The budget was nothing but mere rhetoric, he said. It had failed to address problems, be it farmers, youth, industry/business, the middle class and the poor.Far from reviving business sentiment, the non-visionary budget that reflected the government's apathy to the people's needs and aspirations would plunge the economy further into abysmal depths, Singh said.Pointing to the Finance Minister's failure to even mention the economic slowdown of 2019-20, he said it showed the Centre had no intention of addressing the problems.Stating that the budget has dashed the hopes of one and all, he said farmers were awaiting solution to debt stress and stubble burning, the industry was feeling ignored, and the youth trying to discern the light at the end of the tunnel into which the government had pushed them.The 16-point action plan for agriculture made no mention of any initiative to encourage crop diversification, said the Chief Minister. Grain buffer stock was straining states, including Punjab, and farmers, he said and added, the failure to diversify would aggravate the problems for the country on the farm front.Singh also castigated the Centre's failure to provide the much-needed push to infrastructure. "What is there in the budget to strengthen and upgrade the irrigation and power sectors? How can India progress without infrastructure development," he asked.Even the defence sector, which one would have assumed to be a key priority for any government in these dangerous times, had not got its due, Singh said terming the Rs 10,340 crore hike for the defence forces' modernisation and purchase of new weapon systems as a pathetic joke. "It's worse than the increment even a clerk expects at the end of the year," he quipped.The Chief Minister also flayed the Centre's failure to address the concern of states, including Punjab, on the delays in release of the goods and services tax (GST) compensation. "From where will we get money for development of our state?" he remarked.Another area which was a matter of serious concern for Punjab and other states was the Centre's decision to limit the GST compensation fund to collections under the GST cess, he said.It would add to problems of states, which are suffering from the prolonged delays in getting their share of the GST revenue, the Punjab Chief Minister said.( With inputs from IANS )

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