Basavaraj Bommai criticizes state Budget, calls it anti-people, disappointing
Bengaluru: Former Chief Minister and Member of Parliament Basavaraj Bommai has criticized the 2025-26 Karnataka state budget, presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, calling it anti-people and a financial burden on the common citizens.
In a press statement, Bommai alleged that the budget lacks measures for economic reform and empowerment while highlighting discrepancies between last year’s budget promises and actual implementation.
Bommai pointed out that the state's total revenue for the previous year was estimated at ₹3,68,674 crore, whereas this year, the revenue projection has dropped to ₹3,58,657 crore, marking a decline of ₹10,000 crore. Similarly, the total expenditure, which was ₹3,71,383 crore last year, has been reduced to ₹3,65,865 crore in the new budget, including cuts in capital expenditure. According to him, this indicates a slowdown in the state’s economic growth for 2024-25.
The former Chief Minister also raised concerns over the fiscal deficit, stating that the government has projected it at 2.95% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), but in reality, it exceeds 3%, which he termed as mere financial adjustment. He further alleged that the state's total debt has now surged to ₹7,64,655 crore, accounting for nearly 25% of Karnataka’s GSDP, which he described as evidence of economic mismanagement.
Expressing disappointment over sector-wise allocations, Bommai said the government has slashed funds for key sectors. The education budget has been cut by 2%, while the allocation for the Women and Child Development Department has been reduced by 1%. He also criticized the lack of special funding for irrigation, rural development, and agriculture, calling it an "anti-farmer budget."
Additionally, Bommai accused the government of failing to take any bold steps to address regional imbalances. He claimed that the ₹5,000 crore allocated to the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) was merely an eyewash, as the funds allocated in the previous budget had not been fully utilized. He added that the failure to announce any special financial assistance for the development of Kittur Karnataka was another letdown for the people of that region.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
