Union Budget is forward looking and growth oriented: CM Bommai
Bengaluru, Feb 1: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommi on Tuesday described the Union Budget as forward looking, growth oriented and progressive and said it has covered all sections and sectors.
"This is the budget amid COVID pandemic. This is the forward looking budget as far as the growth of the economy is concerned and through this budget investments in infrastructure will increase and it will boost the further growth of the economy," Bommai said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, it will also help in creation of jobs and will help all classes of people.
"The budget has taken care of all sectors.....Common man, the working class and the business class will benefit from this budget," he said.
Noting that the budget has taken care of all sectors including urban and rural, the Chief Minister said, MSME sector has also been taken care of as the guarantee cover for them under ECLGS (Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme) has been expanded by Rs 50,000 Crore to total cover of Rs 5 lakh Crore.
"Revival of MSMEs is important for the economy," he said, adding that the budget has also given thrust to railways, highways, healthcare, also reforms in the education sector among others.
In 2022-23, states will be allowed a fiscal deficit of 4 per cent of GSDP, he said and described power reforms announced in the budget as very necessary. Bommai said, "capital outlay for the state has been increased, and as per the rough estimates we have done we may get about Rs 3,000-3,500 crore in excess to our capital account. Last time it was Rs 26,000 crore we may get about Rs 29,000 crore."
Regarding the proposal for interlinking of rivers, in response to a question, he said, "any projects which involve inter state rivers will have a certain amount of controversy, but this (river linking) might resolve long pending issues between the states if there is fair allocation of water and transparency in process, based on the need and contribution by states...it might do justice. We will fight for it."
Further pointing out that Krishna-Pennar, and Pennar-Cauvery river linking has been mentioned in the budget, he further said, "they(centre) have said they will go ahead once all states agrees to the DPR, it is still under discussion. When DPR is being prepared, our state's share has to be decided in a right way-this is our stand....until then DPR cannot be finalized, we will stand by it."
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Catholic Bishops' body slams Bhagwat's remarks
New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that Pranab Mukherjee, when he was President, had said tribals would turn "anti-national" if there is no "ghar wapsi"Catholic Bishops.'
In a statement issued here, CBCI, a body of Catholic Bishops, referred to reports which said Bhagwat, at an event on Monday, claimed that Mukherjee, while he was President had appreciated ghar wapsi and told him that had it not been for the Sangh's work on reconversion, a section of Adivasis would have turned "anti-national".The CBCI called the report "shocking".
"Fabricated personal conversation being attributed to a former president of India and its posthumous publication with the vested interest of an organization with questionable credibility raises a grave issue of national importance," the CBCI claimed.
"Is it not the violent ghar wapsi program of VHP and other similar organizations, curtailing the exercise of freedom of conscience of economically deprived tribals, the real anti-national activity?" it asked.
'Ghar wapsi' is a term used by the RSS and affiliated organisations to refer to reconversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, based on the belief that they were originally Hindus before converting to other religions.
The CBCI also questioned why Bhagwat did not speak about it while Mukherjee was alive.
"We, the 2.3 percent of Indian citizens who are Christians feel extremely hurt by such manipulated and motivated propaganda unleashed," it said.
In a post on X following the statement issued by CBCI, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said, "Speak up. This is a start!"
"Bishops body have issued a statement condemning remarks made by Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS for defaming the Christian community," he said.
O'Brien added that they should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi more questions, including why Christmas Day has been turned into "Good Governance Day".
The TMC leader, in a blogpost earlier this month, had said "hard questions" must be asked to the government with regards to the Christian community, including why the FCRA has been 'weaponised', and why has Manipur been 'ignored'.
