"Can GDP and budget size increase without development?" CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 29 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Thursday that the previous BJP government did not achieve any progress; they just "looted" adding that the state government implemented guarantee schemes along with development programmes.
The Karnataka Chief Minister was replying in the Legislative Assembly on the debate on budget today.
Basavaraja Bommai presented a budget that was about Rs 3.09 lakh crore in February 2023. The size of the budget presented by me for the years 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," the Chief Minister Office stated.
"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 the previous government.
The Chief Minister further replied, saying that 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. Nine people from Congress, 13 from the BJP and 3 from the JDS have participated in the discussion. All the members have given many suggestions regarding the budget. They have criticised the budget and 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," he added.
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 Rs 55877 crore. "This is proof that we have prioritised development," said Siddaramaiah.
Answering to the allegations of opposition party that there is zero development, he said, "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."
He said that the voters have rejected the BJP. "We were given 136 seats and 43 per cent of votes. Due to their indulgence in corruption, only 66 people from the 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. Yeddiyurappa and others are responsible for this. They have never came to power from the front door," added the CM.
According to CMO, GDP was Rs. 25,63,247 during the years 2023-24, it is expected to reach 28,09,063 crore. i.e., 2,41,723 crore increase.
"Hence, the GDP also increased, and 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," said Siddaramaiah.
"Rs 36,000 crore is spent this year for guarantee schemes. We have spent. 36,000 crore on the Shakti , Griha Jyoti, Annabhagya, Grilahakshmi 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," he added.
He further said that 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 the Congress and the BJP governments.
"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," he added.
Meanwhile, the BJP MLAs are going to hold a 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' march from Vidhana Soudha against the state govt over various state issues, especially the budget. (ANI)