The BJP government is “using” the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to explain all stalled works and dysfunctional administration, charged Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Speaking on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address to the joint session of the legislature on Wednesday, he said: “The total compensation paid for those hit by pandemic was no more than ₹2,100 crore. Estimated expenditure for 2020-21 in the budget was ₹2,37,893 crore. We have borrowed ₹63,000 crore this year alone. The government has also claimed in the Governor’s address that tax collection has picked up.”
He sought to know how then the pandemic could be cited as the reason to explain projects being starved of funds, non-payment of dues, and stopping of social welfare schemes such as pensions and student scholarships. Mr. Siddaramaiah reeled out several promises made in the BJP manifesto before polls to say that “non of them” had been fulfilled. He also sought to know why, amidst such crisis due to the pandemic and floods, the government had gone ahead with “anti-farmer” Ordinances, pushing them into greater misery.
Mr. Siddaramaiah blamed the Centre for not releasing the State’s share in GST, cess on fuel, and income tax. Though the State contributes nearly ₹2.4 lakh crore a year to the Centre’s pool, the latter grants only ₹60,000 crore to the State.
The “double engine” governments (BJP governments in State and Centre) have been working against the interest of the people by raising fuel prices, leading to rise of price of all commodities, he said.
The Congress leader drew attention to the inefficiency of Energy Department officials of Karnataka and said despite surplus generation of power, the State draws electricity from the central grid. The State’s power generation stood at 30,098 MW against the demand for 10,000 MW, he said.
“The BJP as Opposition often said that our government had not taken off. But this government seems to be completely off,” he said, adding that Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa was hemmed in by opposition from within his own party. Speaking on claims made by the government on achievements, Mr. Siddaramiah in his reply said many achievements of the Congress government led by him had been “recycled” to make tall claims. “How can this government take credit for Karnataka occupying first place in NITI Aayog’s innovation ranking? It was our government that set up an exclusive Skill Development Department and made an investment,” he said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah expressed displeasure over the absence of senior officer, especially from Finance Department, during his reply. “This is not an insult to me but to the House,” he said, joined by Congress member and former Speaker Ramesh Kumar.
Members’ woes
Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday was marked by several members cutting across parties raising the issue of projects being stalled in their constituencies with funds drying up.
BJP member M.P. Kumaraswamy said many were “unable to step into constituencies” with people in flood-hit areas incessantly asking why relief work was stalled, while H. Halappa concurred. BJP member Bharath Shetty raised the issue of shortage of veterinarians, whose role had become more important in the light of anti-cow slaughter Ordinance that calls for their certification before slaughter.
Ministers, including RDPR Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, in their replies, cited COVID-19-induced financial crunch as the reason for delay in making allocations or appointments.
