Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has strongly criticized Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, accusing her of failing to provide adequate financial support to the state in the recent Union Budget. Siddaramaiah’s comments highlight discrepancies between the promises made by the Centre and the actual allocations, questioning the absence of crucial grants and development projects for Karnataka. This criticism comes amidst ongoing tensions between the state government and the central authorities over financial matters and developmental priorities.
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- Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of failing to allocate necessary funds for the state in the Union Budget.
- Siddaramaiah questioned the absence of a grant for the Upper Bhadra Project, which Karnataka had requested Rs 5,300 crore for.
- He highlighted the lack of special grants recommended by the 15th Finance Commission, amounting to Rs 5,495 crore, in the Budget.
- Siddaramaiah noted that promised funds for the Peripheral Ring Road and water bodies development, amounting to Rs 3,000 crore each, were missing from the Budget.
- The Chief Minister criticized the lack of significant budget allocations for Karnataka despite Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s roles in the central government.
- Siddaramaiah pointed out that grants were provided to other states like Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, questioning the lack of similar support for Karnataka.
- The absence of new industries or infrastructure projects, such as Mekedatu or an industrial corridor in Mandya, was also criticized by Siddaramaiah.
- He questioned the lack of mention of an All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for Raichur and an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) for Mysuru or Hassan.
- Siddaramaiah alleged that Finance Minister Sitharaman’s policies have led to a decrease in foreign direct investment (FDI) and industries fleeing Karnataka.
- In response, Sitharaman defended the central government, citing increased central transfers to Karnataka and higher allocations compared to the previous UPA government.
