DW BUREAU / chandigarh Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday flayed the Union Budget, saying it reflects the Centre's "persistent efforts to sideline" non-BJP ruled states. His reaction came hours after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2021-22. The Punjab CM claimed that the Budget was "reflective of the BJP-led central government's total apathy towards the common man, the middle class and farmers." Amarinder criticised the Centre for the "stepmotherly" treatment meted out to Punjab and other northern states, claiming that it was "designed" to cater to the poll-bound states of West Bengal nad south India with a massive infrastructure development allocation for these regions. "The Budget also manifests the central government's persistent efforts to sideline non-BJP states like ours, as well as its anti-federal mindset," said the CM, pointing to the gap between the fiscal deficit targets fixed for the Union government and states. The Punjab CM claimed the vital sector of defence has not been adequately addressed despite the growing border threat from China and Pakistan while the allocation for the health sector was down amid the COVID-19 crisis. "And did the Finance Minister not find it necessary to even mention constitutional guarantee for the MSP, one of the key demands of the farmers battling cold and lathis on the doorstep of New Delhi for over two months now," the Punjab CM asked.He lamented the two per cent hike for the agriculture sector, which had been the only well performing sector for the country amid the coronavirus lockdown. To fund the Centre's massive FY22 spending target, the Centre has imposed an Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess on excise and customs duties. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget 2021-22 proposals to the Parliament, set the cess on petrol products, and certain imported items. This will come into immediate effect from February 2. "There is an immediate need to improve agricultural infrastructure so that we produce more, while also conserving and processing agricultural output efficiently," she said. "This will ensure enhanced remuneration for our farmers. To earmark resources for this purpose, I propose an Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) on a small number of items." The minister informed the Parliament that AIDC of Rs 2.5 per litre has been imposed on petrol and Rs 4 per litre on diesel. Other duties and cess, have also been revised, consequent to the imposition of AIDC. However, the minister maintained that there will not be any additional burden on the consumer. "Consequent to imposition of AIDC on petrol and diesel, the basic excise duty and special additional excise duty rates have been reduced on them so that overall consumer does not bear any additional burden." "Consequently, unbranded petrol and diesel will attract basic excise duty of Rs 1.4, and Rs 1.8 per litre, respectively." Besides, the SAED on unbranded petrol and diesel shall be Rs 11 and Rs 8 per litre, respectively. Similar changes have also been made for branded petrol and diesel. (editor@dailyworld.in)