Siddaramaiah reiterates injustice has been done to Karnataka in Union Budget
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday countered the statement of Union Finance Nirmala Sitharaman that no injustice had been done to Karnataka in the 2024-25 Union Budget. He sought to know the details about the allocation to the State when none of its proposals, including the ₹5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project, had figured in the Budget.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru before leaving to KRS for offering ‘bagina’ to the Cauvery, he said the State had sought ₹5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project in the pre-Budget meeting. There was no mention of it in the Budget. The budget has no special allocation of ₹5,495 crore to the State as recommended under the 15 Finance Commission. The State had sought ₹3,000 crore for peripheral ring road and also ₹3,000 crore for conservation of lakes. None of these proposals had been announced in the Budget, he said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy is a Minister in the Narendra Modi Cabinet. “Has Ramanagara got anything in the Budget? What about the industrial corridor project and Mekedatu project. There is no announcement of AIIMS for Raichur. When this is the case, how can the Finance Minister say that no injustice has been done to the State in the Budget,” he asked.
Condemning Ms. Sitharaman’s statement that the Congress government was driving away investors from Karnataka, he said the FDI in the country has dropped to 31% because of the “flawed policies” of the BJP-led government at the Centre. “If Maharashtra is the highest taxpayer to the Centre, Karnataka stands second in paying taxes,” he said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said the State boycotted the Niti Aayog meeting in protest against the Centre’s attitude towards Karnataka. He said the State MPs must raise their voice against the injustice to the State. The Centre was defaming the State calling it “corrupt”.
He said Karnataka was ready for a dialogue with Tamil Nadu on the Mekedatu project to ensure surplus Cauvery water. Though the project does not harm Tamil Nadu’s interests, the State is still ready for talks. If the Centre gives its nod, Karnataka is ready to build the dam, the Chief Minister said.
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