BENGALURU: The Assembly on Monday saw Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah engage in a war of words, as the latter made his speech on the State budget for 2021-2022.
Tearing apart the budget, Siddaramaiah questioned the reduced allocation for all departments, increased liabilities and cut in spend in the social welfare sector. “The Rs 4,507 crore you have set aside for women is only 1.83% of the total budget, SCSP/TSP grant has been reduced in proportion to the budget size, about Rs 9,900 crore have been reduced for welfare and inclusive growth umbrella sector, Rs 1,200 crore cut for agriculture and allied services, but borrowings have increased. How is this budget pro-poor, pro-Dalit, pro-backward classes?” asked Siddaramaiah.
An irate Yediyurappa hit back to defend his budget. “I have presented a very good budget and people have appreciated it. You are dreaming of returning to power but that is impossible. Let us go to the people with this budget and see who wins the upcoming bypolls,” he said. Siddaramaiah instantly asked the CM to dissolve the assembly and go in for polls, instead of bypolls.
“Welfare schemes have been stopped, existing works have not been given funds. Wasteful expenditure should be reduced, not schemes. In our government, the total borrowing was Rs 1,00,600 crore, and liabilities were under 25% of GSDP, but within just two years, you have borrowed Rs 1,41,000 crore and put liabilities at 26.9%. This budget will bankrupt the State and push it into a whirlpool of debts,” Siddaramaiah said.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah said that committed expenditure had crossed 102% and if this situation continues, the government will not have money even to give pensions. To this, Yediyurappa said the state government is committed to take up all development works announced in the budget.