Siddaramaiah slams BJP chief J P Nadda for lying, calling Karnataka govt bribe-free
Koppal (K'taka), Dec 16: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday slammed BJP national president J P Nadda for allegedly lying to the people by calling the BJP government in the State bribe-free'.
Siddaramaiah's statement came a day after Nadda at a public meeting in Koppal said all parties, barring the BJP, work for commission.
"After BJP came to power in the State three-and-a-half years ago, except loot, no developmental work took place. You are lying, Nadda when you call the BJP government a bribe-free government'. Are you not ashamed?" the Congress leader said at a public meeting here.
The Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly ridiculed Nadda's statement on Thursday that the Chief Ministers (belonging to BJP), including the incumbent Basavaraj Bommai and his immediate predecessor B S Yediyurappa, go to the people with report cards.
"You ask BJP leaders to go to the people with report card but what development did you (BJP) carry out in the State? Yet, you call yourself a double-engine government," Siddaramaiah said.
The Congress leader alleged that there is a 40 per cent commission government in Karnataka, which is known to everyone in the State. The contractor association president, too, had said the Ministers charge 40 per cent commission, he added.
"Even the walls of Vidhana Soudha are whispering that yours is a corrupt government. There is bribe for recruitment, transfer, promotion and posting. They not only collect money in government schemes," the Leader of the Opposition said.
In this context, Siddaramaiah recalled that a contractor Santosh Patil earlier this year allegedly died by suicide as he could not pay a bribe of 40 per cent for a civil work.
The Congress leader claimed that differences have cropped up between Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his predecessor Yediyurappa.
"Yediyurappa was simply removed from the post of chief minister and in his place Bommai was installed because the BJP wanted someone who can dance to the tune of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh," he charged.
Siddaramaiah likened Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a headmaster and Union Home Minister Amit Shah as the assistant headmaster before who people have to stand with their hands tied, as no one has the courage.
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Karnataka fast-tracks investment approvals, cuts red tape across key clearances: Minister Patil
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister M B Patil on Saturday said the state government has fast-tracked approvals for investment projects and taken measures to cut red tape.
He said that since 2022, Karnataka has approved 2,028 projects worth Rs 5.11 lakh crore, which could create 7.16 lakh jobs.
Of these, Rs 69,564 crore has already been realised, generating 1.06 lakh jobs, he added.
“Karnataka fast-tracks approvals, cuts red tape,” the Minister for Large & Medium Industries said.
“Clear results of our government’s push to speed up approval processes are now evident. Not only have investment agreements been secured, but effective implementation is also underway,” he said in a post on X.
He added that simplified and swift approval processes are boosting investor confidence and providing greater impetus to industrial growth across the state.
“Karnataka’s investment-friendly environment is further strengthened by its culture of ease of doing business,” he said.
Noting that Karnataka is fast-tracking approvals and aligning departments and districts for on-ground delivery, the minister said: “We have overhauled 18 key approvals, cutting land use change clearance time from 120 to 45 days, fire NOC from 60 to 21 days, factory plan approvals from 30 to 14 days, and electrical approvals to just 10 days.”
In a competitive landscape, Karnataka is acting decisively to ensure faster decisions, fewer delays, and a truly pro-industry ecosystem, he added.
