Stating that Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has been “misled” by the Finance Department officials, ruling party member A.H. Vishwanath said the 2021-22 Budget contains nothing, and that the statistics of the last 10 years Budget have been juggled around.
“Siddaramaiah, H.D. Kumaraswamy or Mr. Yediyurappa, who have so far held the Finance portfolio and presented many Budgets, are not economists. There has to be a separate Minister for Finance,” Mr. Vishwanath said in the Legislative Council much to the delight of the Opposition benches.
“Of the 33 departments, most important departments are finance, DPAR and law. These are departments that take decisions on administration. Two of the departments, Finance and DPAR, are with Chief Minister,” he said.
Stating that the budget discussions these days have lost sanctity, he recalled that when he entered the assembly in 1978, department wise discussions would take place and ministers concerned would respond to questions. "However, what has happened now? In the past, there would be a separate minister for finance. Now, the chief minister takes care of it."
“During the JD(S)-Congress coalition government, I suggested to Mr. Kumaraswamy to hand over the Finance portfolio to someone else. He asked me if he was not capable and that he had handled the portfolio before. My point was he was capable but he would not have time. The department will be dead under a Chief Minister,” he said, adding a Chief Minister should not keep any important portfolio.
Mr. Vishwanath said: "In my opinion the chief minister should not keep any important portfolio, including finance. When Narendra Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat, he did not have finance. However, our chief minister has finance and many other important portfolios. I do not know why he has so many portfolios."
Referring to the budgetary proposal to accrual of resources internally by boards and corporations, he said that even last year, the same proposal existed. “Only officials have to tell how much has been raised. In fact, most corporations are dependent on government grants,” he said.
On outsourcing staff for government work, he pointed out the contractors supplying outsourced workforce are the family members of retired IAS officers, Ministers and ex-Ministers. “Vidhana Soudha today has become a mall. You can sell or buy anything. It is filled with touts promising transfer or giving tenders,” said the member.
