We implemented guarantees with development programmes, says Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said that the previous BJP government did not achieve any progress rather they just looted.

"We have implemented Guarantee schemes along with development programmes," he asserted.

Siddaramaiah was replying in the Legislative Assembly during a debate on the Budget.

“Former CM Basavaraja Bommai presented a budget which was about Rs 3.09 lakh crore in February 2023. The size of the budget presented by me for the year 2024-25 is Rs 3,71,343 crore. This is Rs 62,200 crore more than the budget presented by Bommai. The size has increased. This is Rs 43,601 crore more than the budget presented by me in July 2023,” he said.

Similarly, the GDP of the state was Rs 25,63,247 crore. It is expected to be Rs 28,09,063 crore for the year 2024-25, which means an increase of Rs 2,41,723 crore. Can budget size and GDP increase without development? The CM questioned.

All the members have given many suggestions regarding the budget. They have criticised the budget, defended the Central Government. “I welcome all this. I would like to say that the government will do whatever is possible in the next financial year according to their suggestions.”

The total budget size in the 2024-25 budget is Rs 3,71,343 crore. Revenue expenditure is Rs 2,90,531 crore and capital expenditure is Rs 55,877 crore. This is proof that we have prioritised development, he stated.

The opposition party said that there is zero development. A sum of Rs 1,20,000 crore has been earmarked for development programmes. Rs 52,009 crore has been set aside for guarantee schemes and the remaining amount has been allocated for development works. The allegation made by the opposition party is far from the truth, CM Siddaramaiah explained.

Rs 36,000 crore is spent this year for guarantee schemes. We have spent. 36,000 crore for Shakti, Griha Jyoti, Anna Bhagya, Griha Lakshmi and Yuva Nidhi schemes. We have earmarked Rs 52,009 crore in the 2024-25 budget, along with priority to education, health, roads, law and order, he said.

"The previous BJP government did not develop anything. They just looted. We have achieved development along with guarantee schemes as well. This is the difference between Congress and BJP government," Siddaramaiah said.

“BJP could not get people's blessings. They come to teach us lessons of patriotism. It was Congress that brought freedom to this country. These are the people who came to enjoy power through the back door. RSS came into existence in 1925 itself, but did not take part in the freedom struggle."

“When BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde was the Union Minister, he said that we have come to power to change the Constitution. Neither PM Modi nor party elders took any action regarding this,” he added.