Aurangabad (Maharashtra) [India], January 6 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad on Thursday slammed Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and State Finance Minister Ajit Pawar for not attending pre-budget consultation meetings called by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss the upcoming Union budget.

Speaking to ANI, MoS Karad said, "There have been a total of 12 to 13 meetings for the upcoming Union bugdet. Maharashtra CM and the state finance minister were called for two meetings of the Union Finance Ministry over it."

Also Read | Munawar Faruqui, Stand-Up Comedian, Calls Off Hyderabad Show Due to COVID-19 Curbs.

"But neither the Chief Minister nor the state finance minister was present at the two meetings," he added.

Further, the MoS said, "I understand that Maharashtra CM may have been busy but couldn't the state finance minister or Deputy CM take part in the meeting called by the Union Finance Ministry?"

Also Read | Bulli Bai App Case: Main Accused Neeraj Bishnoi Sent To 7-Day Police Custody By Delhi Court.

Kadar asserted that if Maharashtra was represented at the meeting it would have been beneficial for the state.

The Union Budget for 2022-23, is scheduled to be presented in Parliament on February 1, 2022. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)