BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asserted on Friday that his budget has not appeased any communities, including minorities. He revealed that the government will draw a part of the money allocated to SC/STs to fund the five guarantees.
“The effort to increase the purchasing power of the poor, women, youth, SC/STs and minorities has been put in and emphasis is on the all-round development of the state,” he remarked, addressing the media after presenting the budget, at Vidhana Soudha.
“For the welfare of minorities, including Muslims, Christians, Jains and Buddists, Rs 3,71,383 crore has been earmarked which is 0.8 per cent of the total outlay. For SC/STs under SCP/TSP schemes, Rs 39,000 crore is earmarked and sometimes, the amount would be taken from it to adjust funds for guarantees, in proportion to the beneficiaries from the communities,” he replied to a query.
He alleged that BJP’s ‘sab ka saath, sab ka vishwas’ is a mere slogan as the party has remained anti-minority and sees allocations to minorities through jaundiced eyes. Taking a dig at BJP and JDS MLAs walking out while he was presenting the budget, he alleged that they had no faith in parliamentary system and democracy.
Fiscal discipline managed
Siddaramaiah claimed that fiscal discipline has been managed with a fiscal deficit of Rs 82,981 crore, which is 2.95 percent of the state’s GSDP which is within 3 per cent stipulated in the Karnataka Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2002. The revenue deficit is Rs 27,354 crore, which is 0.97 per cent, and liability (borrowings) is Rs 1,05,246 crores which is 23.68 per cent of GSDP, he said adding that the revenue surplus will be stabilised from next year.
“Since Independence till I became the finance minister, there was a debt of Rs 2,46,000 crore and I have borrowed Rs 1.12 lakh crore,whereas former CM Basavaraj Bommai had borrowed Rs 80,000 crore”, he said.
The state lost Rs 1,87,000 lakh crore in six years, including Rs 62,000 crore in tax devolution from the Centre, from 2017-18. “Although the fair share is not coming from the Centre, the state is financially sound. If the due share had come, the state would have developed like Europe. We have allocated Rs 52,009 crore for guarantees and are prepared to give more if needed,” he asserted.
“BJP said the government will go bankrupt, due to guarantees and termed them as ‘bitti’ guarantees (freebies) which is an insult to women and the poor,” he alleged. He pointed out that Uttar Pradesh received Rs 3,12,280 crore from the Centre, though it gives 49 percent of its tax share, whereas Karnataka despite giving 77 per cent, it will get only Rs 59,785 at 23 per cent.
He said the budget is far-sighted, inclusive and complementary to the all-round development of the state.
How the rupee comes
52* State Tax Revenue
28 Borrowings
12 Share of Central Taxes
4 Grants from Centre
4 Non-Tax Revenue
How the Rupee GOES
15* Social Welfare
11 Education
17 Other General Services
18 Debt Servicing
4 Health
15 Other Economic Services
14 Agriculture, Irrigation & Rural Development
3 Other Social Services
3 Water Supply & Sanitation
(*Units in paise)