Can GDP, budget size increase without development? CM Siddaramaiah questions

Dr.Thomas (Special Correspondent)

*CM explains details of developments other than Guarantee schemes along with statistics.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the previous BJP Government did not achieve any progress.They just looted.We have implemented Guarantee schemes along with development programmes.

He was replying in the Legislative Assembly on the debate on Budget,today.

Basavaraj 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.

Similarly,the GDP of the state was 25,63,247 crore.It is expected to be 28,09,063 for the year 2024-25.

Which means an increase of Rs.2,41,723 crores.Can budget size and GDP increase without development? The CM questioned.

*Other highlights of Chief Minister’s reply:

For the first time in the history of Karnataka, the opposition party was absent during the presentation of the budget.

They are not concerned about the economy of the state.

9 people from Congress,13 people from BJP and 3 people from JDS have participated in the discussion. All the members have given many suggestions regarding the budget.They have criticized the budget, defended the Central Govt. I welcome all this.

I would like to say that the government will do whatever it 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 and capital expenditure is 55877 crores.This is proof that we have prioritised development.

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 have 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.

Voters have rejected the BJP.We were given 136 seats and 43% of votes.Due to their indulgence in corruption, only 66 persons from BJP could win.

They did not come to power with the full blessing of the people.They came to power through the back door through Operation Kamala.Mr.Yeddiyurappa and others are responsible for this.They have never came to power from the front door.

GDP was Rs.25,63,247 during the year- 2023-24,It is expected to reach 28,09,063 crore.i.e.,2,41,723 crore increase.

Hence the GDP also increased,the budget size too has increased.

This proves that there is no substance in the allegation made by the opposition that no development has taken place in the state.

Rs.36,000 crore is spent this year for guarantee schemes.We have spent.36,000 crore for Shakti,GrihaJyoti,Annabhagya,Gruhalakshmi and Yuvanidhi schemes.

We have earmarked Rs.52,009 crore in the 2024-25 budget,along with priority to education,health,roads, Law and order.

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.

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 Anantakumar Hegde was the Union Minister,he said that we have come to power to change the Constitution.Neither Modi nor party elders took any action regarding this.