Shillong, Feb 3: Opposition Congress on Tuesday said that special focus on the North East region is missing in the Union Budget.

“What is specific to the region and the focus which was required to be NE specific is missing,” Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma said.

According to him, investment pertaining to the NE region should be considered from what is relevant and what is considered as something which can enable the region to keep pace with the rest of the country in respect of developmental indexes whether in the social sector, education sector or infrastructure sector.

He said the ambitious spending proposal without looking at the resources, the government will end up borrowing and increase the debt burden. “Look at the fiscal deficit is close to 10 percent which is quite alarming,” he added.

Sangma further added, “I would have been happy if there would have been a specific allocation to deal with the problem which is perpetually in nature which involves mighty Brahmaputra and the havoc created by it and its tributaries.

“We as a state also part of it. How this Brahmaputra could be an instrument for prosperity while addressing the usual havoc created by this river that is something which has been of the agenda that we have been pursuing as states of the NE.

What Bangladesh has done with water resources I think as a nation we are far far behind and that is something not expected as we should be leading by example as how to harness the benefits of water resources. That is where the focus should be as NE is concern,” he said.

The Congress leader further lamented that the union budget has no specific indication to carry forward the Look East Policy, which later changed as Act East Policy.