Shimla, Feb 26 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal Friday criticised the central government for not extending the special industrial package that would expire next month.

In the general budget presented in New Delhi Friday, the central government 'has played a cruel joke with the state', Dhumal said.

'The centre has once again discriminated with us by not extending special industrial package that was given by the Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in 2003. It was originally sanctioned till 2013 and later brought down to 2010 by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government,' he said.

'This would definitely stop industrial growth in the state as the package was attracting a large number of industrial houses to the state,' the chief minister said.

He also described the budget as 'anti-poor'.

'The budget is anti-poor and anti-farmers. This clearly indicated that the attitude of the central government towards the common man is not favourable,' he said.