Karnataka Budget 2023: Siddaramaiah blames Centre over shortage of funds for state govt schemes

In his budget speech, CM Siddaramaiah said that Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has grown at 7.9 percent in 2022-23. He also said that the growth of the economy during the previous regime and the BJP regime, the BJP government failed in ensuring the growth of the State economy.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday (July 7) presented the state budget and criticised the central government for reducing share in schemes and shortage of funds for state government schemes. In his speech during the budget presentation, Siddaramaiah said, "Central government is reducing its share in centrally sponsored schemes. Due to this, there is a severe shortage of funds for new state government schemes."

"The previous government increased loans to energy-supplying companies from Rs 51,087 crore to Rs 91,911 crore. In 2022-23, the central government released only Rs 447 crore for social security pension schemes, while state contributed Rs 8,636 crore. This is a ratio of 4.9 to 95.1," the chief minister said.

Earlier, Siddaramaiah blamed the BJP government for worsening the financial situation and failing to curb inflation and high fuel prices in the state.

In his budget speech, CM Siddaramaiah said that Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has grown at 7.9 percent in 2022-23. He also said that the growth of the economy during the previous regime and the BJP regime, the BJP government failed in ensuring the growth of the State economy.

Earlier in February, former Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai had presented the State Budget for the financial year 2023-24. 

On Tuesday, Karnataka Assembly witnessed an uproar scenes due to protests by the BJP against the ruling Congress leading to four adjournments by Speaker UT Khader. As planned, the opposition BJP staged protests inside and outside the Assembly alleging injustice and cheating by the ruling Congress in the name of five guarantees.