Deputy Chief Minister Claims No Funds for Development

Bengaluru: In a recent turn of events, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, D K Shivakumar claimed that development of the state will have to take a backseat due to the implementation of the 5 Congress pre-poll guarantees. He revealed that a staggering sum of Rs. 40,000 crore has been earmarked for this purpose during the current financial year, thus leading to lack of development activities.

A letter submitted by eleven MLAs on Tuesday, had expressed frustration over the lack of responsiveness from ministers regarding work in their respective constituencies. However, on Thursday, Shivakumar asserted that prior briefings were held for the MLAs, making them aware of the financial constraints faced by the state government due to the considerable budget allocation for the manifesto promises.

In their complaint letter, the Congress MLAs had highlighted their inability to meet the expectations of their constituents due to uncooperative ministers. Congress MLA BR Patil from Gulbarga, was one of the signatories. He later distanced himself from the letter's contents, labelling it as fake.

Addressing the issue at hand, Shivakumar emphasized the government's commitment to delivering on its election pledges but admitted that the scarcity of funds left little room for fresh development projects. He disclosed that other key areas like irrigation and public works departments were also facing financial restrictions. The Deputy CM urged the MLAs to be patient, assuring them that a meeting would be convened to discuss the situation further.

The Congress government's decision to set aside such huge amount of funds annually to fulfil its manifesto commitments was met with sharp criticism from the opposition, especially after Shivakumar’s statement.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, seized the opportunity to lambast the Congress, accusing them of being power-hungry and lacking vision and responsibility. Joshi asserted that the state is witnessing a dearth of development and progress under the Congress government's administration.

The development projects' impasse and the Congress’ priority to fulfil the guarantees have now emerged as key challenges for the Karnataka government. With substantial financial commitments made towards fulfilling election promises, striking a balance between addressing the immediate needs of the MLAs and delivering on long-term pledges remains a pressing task for the administration.