Union Budget people-friendly, focused on education, health, tourism, MSMEs and women: Altaf Thakur Anchor: BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur on Sunday welcomed the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, calling it a “growth- and job-oriented” budget with special focus on education, health, tourism, MSMEs and women empowerment. Referring to the forthcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly budget, Thakur said the BJP has “no major expectations” from it, alleging that the previous budget failed to deliver on promises made to daily wagers and common people. He said relief announced in the 2025 budget has not translated into real benefits on the ground and people continue to suffer due to unemployment and fake promises of the NC Government. Taking part in the live budget programme with party workers at Town Hall Bandipora, Thakur said the Centre’s budget aims to strengthen livelihoods and create employment, particularly in sectors that can boost regional economies. He said tourism has been given priority and Jammu and Kashmir stands to benefit, especially through the promotion of medical tourism. “J&K has huge potential in medical tourism and hospitality. The budget’s focus on these sectors will help generate jobs and improve infrastructure in the region,” Thakur said. He added that the BJP will seek a detailed account of the previous Jammu and Kashmir budget during the upcoming Assembly session. “We will take a strict calculation of the last budget presented by the J&K government and ask what was promised and what was actually delivered on the ground,” he said. Thakur said the Union Budget aligns with the Centre’s long-term vision of making India a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, stressing that development, investment and employment generation remain key priorities. However, he said many promises remain unfulfilled. “Issues of daily wagers and economically weaker sections must be addressed urgently so that their suffering is eased,” he added.