Bengaluru, Feb 16: Hailing the State Budget as ‘livelihood providing budget’, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar today said that boycotting of the Budget by the BJP was an insult to the people of Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters after the presentation of the State Budget, he said, “The Opposition boycotted the Budget as its leaders could not digest the fact that the Congress government was able to dedicate so much of resources for developmental works in spite of guarantee schemes. There is no other instance in Karnataka politics when the Opposition boycotted the Budget presentation, it is an insult to the democratic process.”
“Ours is a livelihood providing budget. It is a budget which aims to bring change in the lives of people. It is budget which keeps in mind Bengaluru’s long-term development. It is a budget which has a vision for irrigation projects,” he added.
“We have taken up development of KRS gardens, Navali Balancing reservoir, Upper Krishna and Kalasa Bhanduri projects. We have taken up the Kalasa Bhanduri project awaiting Centre’s approval. We are preparing for Mekedatu too. The budget has brought in a lot of focus on irrigation,” he said.
“The budget has a long-term vision for Bengaluru. Drinking water project for 110 villages around Bengaluru city, announcement of new townships in Magadi, Hosakote, Nelamangala and Bidadi. It aims to resolve the land related issues in the city and an effort is also being made to deliver land records to the doorstep,” he explained.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has presented a model budget for the country and I congratulate him for that, he said.
Fiscal discipline
Referring to allegations of higher borrowings in this budget, he said, “We have mobilised funds for the State within the permissible boundaries of fiscal discipline.”
Asked about the allegation of former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa that the budget has short changed departments held by him, he said, “What else can you expect from Yediyurappa? We have approved many projects initiated by his government too. I won’t differentiate between irrigation department and other departments. This is a budget for the entire state and for all departments. All regions are important.”
BJP MLAs Happy
Asked about BJP MLA S T Somashekar lauding the budget, he said, “Many of the BJP MLAs are happy about the budget but they can’t express it in open. It was Somashekar who appealed for drinking water project for 110 villages around Bengaluru city.”
Replying to a query on allocation for Brand Bengaluru initiative, he said, “Tunnel roads, Business corridor, Satellite township, metro project, sub-urban rail, sky deck are all projects under Brand Bengaluru.”
Kumaraswamy can criticise in the House
Referring to the allegation of former Chief Minister Kumaraswamy that the budget has money for tunnels but not for repairing the roads, he said, “Kumaraswamy would have understood the budget better had he attended the budget presentation. It is not appropriate to comment based on second-hand information. Let him come and debate it in the House. We need feedback from seniors like him.”
