Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Criticizes Union Budget Presented by Nirmala Sitharaman
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 23: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed disappointment with the Union budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. He stated that the budget ignored the state’s demands and provided no funds for important projects.
Key Points Raised by Siddaramaiah
During a press conference, Siddaramaiah mentioned that:
- The state had requested Rs. 5300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project, but no funds were allocated.
- There were no proposals for the Mahadayi Mekedatu scheme and the Upper Krishna Projects.
- Rs. 11,485 crore was requested for peripheral roads, lake development, and Bangalore urban projects, but these were ignored.
- The demand for setting up AIIMS in Raichur was not acknowledged.
Concerns for Farmers and Marginalized Communities
Siddaramaiah criticized the budget for neglecting farmers and marginalized communities, particularly Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. He noted the absence of a Minimum Support Price Act and the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations.
Failure of Central Ministers
He also pointed out that despite having five ministers from Karnataka in the central cabinet, the state did not benefit from their presence. Grants announced in the interim budget for health, defence, healthcare, IT, and communication sectors were cut, and there was a significant reduction in funds for the development of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and minorities.
Future Actions
Siddaramaiah mentioned that the 16th Finance Commission would visit the state on August 28, and efforts would be made to address the injustices faced by Karnataka.
Chief Minister’s Economic Adviser Basavaraja Rayareddy, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government LK Ateeq, and Political Secretaries Govidaraju and Naseer Ahmed were present at the press conference.
Doubts Revealed
Karnataka -: Karnataka is a state in the southern part of India. It has its own government and Chief Minister.
CM -: CM stands for Chief Minister, who is the head of the government in an Indian state.
Siddaramaiah -: Siddaramaiah is the current Chief Minister of Karnataka, responsible for the administration of the state.
Union Budget -: The Union Budget is the annual financial statement presented by the Government of India, detailing its revenue and expenditure for the upcoming year.
Nirmala Sitharaman -: Nirmala Sitharaman is the Union Finance Minister of India, responsible for presenting the Union Budget.
Upper Bhadra Project -: The Upper Bhadra Project is a major irrigation project in Karnataka aimed at providing water for agriculture.
Mahadayi Mekedatu scheme -: The Mahadayi Mekedatu scheme is a water management project in Karnataka intended to supply drinking water and generate electricity.
Farmers -: Farmers are people who grow crops and raise animals for food and other products.
Marginalized communities -: Marginalized communities are groups of people who are often excluded from mainstream social, economic, and political life.
Central ministers -: Central ministers are members of the Union Government of India who head various ministries and departments.
