BENGALURU: With Congress hoping to emulate Karnataka’s model of poll strategy and governance in other poll-bound states as well as the Lok Sabha polls early next year, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seems to have heavily focused on the guarantee schemes without much burden on people. Siddaramaiah’s record 14th budget also turned out to be a platform to repeatedly target the Centre as well as the previous BJP government in Karnataka. That looked unusual like the cover of the budget book, which had graphics of the five guarantees, which were at the centre of the entire budget exercise.
He blamed the Centre for failing to control the steep increase in the prices of essential commodities and accused it of playing politics and “stealing food” from the poor. The economy of the State deteriorated during the term of the previous government, he said, criticizing it for approving a huge number of projects in major departments with scant regard to the principles of fiscal discipline.
In the budget, the CM even referred to the “double-engine” government. Siddaramaiah may be justified in questioning the Centre on the issue of devolution of funds, but repeatedly criticizing the Centre and the previous BJP government was seen as an attempt to use the budget to make a political statement. Normally, in the budget, the government explains its plans and programmes for the financial year.
The elections to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Taluk and Zilla Panchayats, and Lok Sabha polls are due in the next few months. The chief minister had to allocate funds for guarantee schemes and ensure that they are implemented effectively as Congress is keen to present the Karnataka model in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana.
Siddaramaiah was keen to send out a message that the government will implement all promises made in the manifesto in the next five years. In budget funds were also allocated for the implementation of 76 promises made in the party manifesto, while the guarantee schemes cover nearly 90 % of people, the CM said after presenting the budget.
“It is a comprehensive budget that will respond to the problems of our people who have been suffering from the central government’s price hike for eight years. He claimed that the government is progressive that hands over money to the poor, provides jobs, free the state from hunger beside attracting the investment.
While the CM focused heavily on funding the guarantee schemes, the vision for the long-term planning for the state’s development, empowering people, and employment generation did not get the required attention in the budget. Political Analyst Bhaskar Rao MK said it looks like an election budget. The development works may take a hit and the impact will be known after three to four months, he said.