Bengaluru (PTI): NABARD on Thursday projected a priority sector credit potential of Rs 4.99 lakh crore for Karnataka for the financial year 2026-27, registering a 12 per cent increase over the projections made for the previous fiscal.

Releasing its "State Focus Paper for FY 2026-27" at the State Credit Seminar in Bengaluru, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development assessed the exploitable credit potential under priority sectors in the State at Rs 4,99,530.93 crore for the coming financial year.

The projections are aimed at guiding banks and financial institutions in formulating their Annual Credit Plans.

According to NABARD, agriculture and allied sectors account for 45 per cent of the total projected credit potential. Farm credit alone includes Rs 1,90,397.40 crore towards crop loans for agriculture and allied activities and Rs 47,166.71 crore towards term loans. Credit potential for ancillary activities has been estimated at Rs 28,876.81 crore.

The MSME sector has been assigned a credit potential of Rs 2,14,501 crore, constituting 42 per cent of the overall projection. Other priority sector segments include housing at Rs 28,119.01 crore, education at Rs 5,650.12 crore, export credit at Rs 5,983 crore, social infrastructure at Rs 1,936.91 crore and renewable energy at Rs 1,802.14 crore.

Agri infrastructure has been projected at Rs 81,485 crore.

NABARD stated that the enhanced projection reflects the growing credit absorption capacity across sectors and the need to strengthen rural infrastructure, agriculture resilience and enterprise development in the State.

The bank noted that the State Focus Paper is prepared through a consultative process involving banks, government departments and other stakeholders, and serves as a base document for district-level credit planning.

It added that the projections are aligned with sectoral priorities, infrastructure requirements and policy support needed to sustain inclusive and balanced growth across Karnataka.

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New Delhi (PTI): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) celebrated former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his then deputy Manish Sisodia's discharge in the excise policy case on Friday, describing it as a vindication of constitutional values, while the BJP said the people had already given a political response on the issue.

Opposition parties said in unison that the development was a blow to the Centre's falsehoods and misuse of investigating agencies, though the Congress termed the BJP and the AAP as convenient allies.

An emotional Kejriwal broke down after the verdict and said the case against him was the "biggest political conspiracy".

"The court has proved that Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and AAP are 'kattar imaandar (honest to the core)'," he said. Sisodia said the ruling reaffirmed the public's faith in the Constitution.

The Trinamool Congress, RJD, Samajwadi Party and Left parties welcomed the verdict and said its exposed the BJP's politics of vendetta. The Congress, however, said Kejriwal's discharge was a "predictable script".

"The BJP is not a political party. It is a shape-shifter, a wishful serpent - 'Icchadhari Naag'. It will stoop to any level for one obsessive goal: defeat Congress - 'Congress Mukt Bharat'," Congress media and publicity cell head Pawan Khera said.

"For 12 years, they spewed venom at the TMC. And now? Narendra Modi himself is showering it with praise -- not out of respect, but to land a cheap blow at the Congress," Khera said in a post in Hindi on X.

"Elections are coming. So the script is predictable. Cases against Congress leaders will suddenly accelerate -- P Chidambaram has already been dragged back into the spotlight because Tamil Nadu is going to the polls. Meanwhile, proceedings against their convenient allies in the AAP and others will quietly vanish in light of the Gujarat and Punjab elections," the Congress leader said.

Congress MP Manish Tewari and party veteran Margaret Alva, however, congratulated Kejriwal on his discharge in the case and slammed the BJP's "politics of vendetta".

The BJP, on its part, said though Kejriwal was discharged for "lack of evidence", the probe agency would decide its next course of action.

BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said it was a "technical matter" and the party would come up with a "structured response" on the court's judgment after studying it.

"The people of Delhi have given him (Kejriwal) a political response on political grounds. The agency concerned will decide its next course of action on technical grounds," the Rajya Sabha MP said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh alleged the case was part of a conspiracy to defame the party leadership and referred to the period of incarceration faced by several leaders. Former chief minister Atishi said the verdict showed how false allegations were made to target AAP leaders.

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann said, "Truth always triumphs."

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said the collapse of the excise policy case was a "moral death sentence" for the BJP as it had betrayed the people of Delhi.

"Today, every honest person will breathe a sigh of relief, while the BJP supporters must be writhing in deep shame," Yadav said.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav welcomed the court order and demanded that fresh elections be held in the national capital.

"False lawsuits are being filed against opposition leaders. Arvind Kejriwal has suffered a lot due to this (case). We demand that elections be held again in Delhi," Yadav told reporters in Patna.

"It's a very good judgment. It shows that we still have hope in the judicial system. BJP leaders should apologise to the nation for continuously targeting opposition leaders," CPI-M general secretary MA Baby said.

CPI general secretary D Raja said the verdict proved that the BJP reduced federal probe agencies to "instruments of political vendetta".

"When investigative institutions are twisted into political weapons, it is not just individuals who are targeted, it is democracy itself that is put on trial. The country deserves accountability for this abuse of power," he said.

TMC MP Saket Gokhale alleged that the case was "politically motivated" and aimed at "defaming" opposition leaders.

"A fake fabricated case was filed by the BJP to defame opposition leaders who were arrested and mistreated in order to break their will and tarnish their reputation. Yet again, BJP's shameless tactic of using CBI and ED as their political tools stands exposed. The Modi-Shah Government will soon fall apart just like these fake cases," Gokhale posted on X.

Social activist and Kejriwal's former mentor, Anna Hazare said the verdict must be accepted as the judiciary was supreme. The anti-corruption campaigner advised Kejriwal to work for the society and the country and not think of himself or his party.