BENGALURU: Opposition BJP on Monday criticised the state government for not allocating funds for MGNREGA in its budget and sought to know whether the scheme will be continued in the new financial year.
Participating in a discussion on the budget in the Assembly, BJP MLA Sunil Kumar said the government should clarify its stand on VB-G RAM G. The budget makes no mention of clearing Rs 38,000 crore contractors’ dues, grants for filling 56,000 vacant posts or of Rs 20,000 crore to implement the Seventh Pay Commission’s recommendations.
Referring to the announcement to fill 56,000 posts of the 2.74 lakh vacancies in the budget, he said why no funds have been allocated for this purpose. “Youths in North Karnataka have started staging protests demanding that vacant posts be filled at the earliest. To mislead them, the government announced that 56,000 vacant posts will be filled without providing any grants,” he alleged.
Raising concerns over MGNREGA, he said no allocation has been made in the budget despite an economic survey citing 8.93 lakh works, including 5.99 lakh projects under implementation. With no allocation of funds for these works, will the scheme be discontinued?
Sunil Kumar said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not only holds the record of presenting the biggest budget, but also the record of imposing the highest debt on the people. The state’s borrowings stood at Rs 1.32 lakh crore. “The CM also has the record of creating more problems for the state,” he alleged.
Referring to the budget of over Rs 4.44 lakh crore and capital expenditure of Rs 74,000 crore, Sunil Kumar sought to know how the government will raise funds to meet its commitments. There are other schemes for which the CM has not allotted funds. “I am skeptical about this budget itself,’’ he said.
Criticising the government for its socio-educational and economical survey, he alleged that it was done in a hurry by spending Rs 500 crore. The CM even claimed that the government needed the survey report to formulate welfare schemes, he said. “Even after seven months of completion of the survey, it found no mention in the budget. Though Rs 500 crore has been spent on the survey, why has it not been revealed?’’ Sunil Kumar asked.