BJP leaders criticise Siddaramaiah’s Budget for reducing focus on development

BJP leaders criticized the State Budget for what they called reduced focus on development and reliance on guarantees.

Member of Legislative Assembly Abhay Patil said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Budget has left the State burdened with billions of debt and is full of thousands of false promises.

“Without a clear direction for the development of the state, this Budget disappoints the hopes and aspirations of the common people,” he said.

Member of Legislative Assembly Balachandra Jarkiholi said the Budget appears to have been designed in the process of arranging funds for the Congress’s guarantee schemes. They saddled Kannadigas with additional debts.

“It is clear that the state government is short of funds in the Treasury. So this is a Budget with zero development, no progress and no direction,” he said.

“The focus seems to be on the development of Bengaluru and Mysuru. Injustice has been done to North Karnataka by not allocating more funds for development of tourism and development of irrigation. The Chief Minister has not announced any new plan for North Karnataka. No special package for farmers has been given in the Budget. They have completely ignored sugarcane growers. There is no mention of the promises made in previous Budgets,” he said.

Former MLC Mahantesh Kavatagimath said the Chief Minister seems to have given more priority to voting on bank policies rather than the overall development of the state. Of the total outlay of ₹4.48 lakh crore, more than ₹51,600 crore has been earmarked for guarantees.

He said that while prosperity plans were necessary, it was disappointing that there was no clear direction for large-scale job creation, industrial investment, long-term plans to increase farmer income and infrastructure development.

He also criticized it as a minority-focused Budget, with Maulana Azad schools for minority communities receiving ₹600 crore, Urdu schools being upgraded to the tune of around ₹400 crore, and 75% subsidy (up to ₹3 lakh) being provided to minority youths to start businesses.

He said there was no special industrial development package or grants for irrigation projects for North Karnataka districts.