Won't let any impediment affect recovery of economy post-COVID: CM Bommai
Bengaluru, Mar 16: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said his government would not let any impediment hit the speedy economic recovery post-COVID in the State.
"You all know what kind of situation was created due to COVID-19 in the last two years. The effect was not just limited to health sector but impacted every sphere of our life and put a brake on our economic development," Bommai said while participating in a discussion on the budget for 2022-23.
He said Karnataka was quick to recoup from the COVID effect once the infections came under control.
Reading out the achievements of his 'Amrit' schemes as part of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' (platinum jubilee of Indian independence) which were launched on August 15, 2021, and various pro-people policies including health, education, transport, industrial development, infrastructure, skill development, nutrition, woman and child welfare, and agriculture schemes, Bommai said he would firmly move to achieve the goals set by his government.
Regarding the Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah's concern over the increasing borrowings, Bommai said in the last two years the revenues were not up to the mark due to COVID-19.
In 2020-21, there was a reduction of Rs 11,444 crore in the commercial tax, Rs 2,079 crore in motor vehicles-related revenue, Rs 1,500 crore in the stamp and registration and Rs 540 crore in other revenues, the Chief Minister said. He said there was reduction of Rs 6,897 crore of the central aid.
"Overall, there was a reduction of Rs 21,835 crore in the revenue in 2020-21. While on the one hand there was reduction in revenue, on the other hand the spending on health increased due to COVID-19," said Bommai
The Chief Minister explained that limiting the fiscal deficit to three per cent was ideal in normal circumstances and not in an abnormal situation caused by the pandemic.
He said the borrowings of Karnataka doubled when Siddaramiaah was Chief Minister.
"From the time we got independence to 2013-14, the total borrowings were Rs 1.38 lakh crore but from 2013-14 to 2018-19 when Siddaramaiah was the Chief Minister who also held finance portfolio, the total borrowings increased to Rs 2.96 lakh crore. This was 107 per cent increase in borrowings in just five years," said Bommai.
He said this happened despite there was not any emergency like COVID-19 and the situation was normal and the economy was booming.
"In 2019-20, the borrowing increased to Rs 3.27 lakh. In just four years, the borrowings saw an increase of 58 per cent despite all these problems (COVID and floods)," he pointed out.
Bommai refuted the charge that the Central grant to Karnataka has reduced and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been generously giving financial grant to the State.
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EC role, Hindu vote consolidation among factors for BJP win in Bengal polls: J-K CM Omar
Srinagar (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday attributed the BJP's West Bengal win to a "significant role" played by the Election Commission (EC), alongside a consolidation of Hindu votes and a fractured minority mandate.
Abdullah also said the INDIA bloc needs to define its role in the political landscape of the country and make it clear whether the opposition alliance was limited to the parliamentary elections or extended to the state elections as well.
Talking to PTI Videos, Abdullah hinted that the EC has compromised its neutrality by conducting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal and linked it to the BJP's gains in the state, claiming large-scale deletion of legitimate voters.
On the performance of the BJP in the just concluded assembly elections, Abdullah said the saffron party has almost nothing to show in southern states.
"So then you look at West Bengal and Assam. Yes, the BJP improved its tally in Assam. There are various reasons for that. You know as well as I do, what those are. West Bengal, I think we need to look at the results very carefully," he said.
"The easiest explanation for the West Bengal result is the serious curtailing of voter list," Abdullah said.
"Voters found their names deleted. People who served in uniform and fought for this country on the borders, who were considered Indian citizens all their lives, were suddenly held to a higher standard and not allowed to vote. Something is not right," he said.
While alleging that the EC played a "significant part" in the results, the chief minister admitted the outcome was multifaceted and noted a consolidation of over 60 per cent of the Hindu vote towards the BJP and a "significant fracture" in the minority vote, particularly in seats where Muslims constitute over 50 per cent of the population.
"There is no doubt that the role of the Election Commission played a significant part in the results but we will also have to look at the other factors," he said.
He said the results of West Bengal cannot be compared to those in other states. "The situation was unique to West Bengal. The SIR that was done, the way in which the voter lists were changed, the sort of minute scrutiny that the Election Commission subjected West Bengal to, the role of the central investigative agencies.
"All of these are situations that at least in recent electoral history of India are unique to West Bengal. So to suggest that we can learn lessons from West Bengal and implement them in other parts of the country, I think would not be correct," he said.
Abdullah had recently said that if the West Bengal results throw a surprise, the role of EC will come under scrutiny.
However, during Tuesday's interview, the chief minister said he still maintains that electronic voting machines (EVMs) do not lead to vote theft.
"What we saw in West Bengal...I know there are a lot of people who believe that the EVMs themselves are flawed. I am not a proponent of that conspiracy theory.
"But I do believe that the Election Commission has done itself no favours in the way in which it has gone about both the process of delimitation and the process of finalisation of electoral rolls," he said and cited the example of delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir or Assam.
"These are clear examples of how the process was done to benefit one party or in the case of Jammu and Kashmir, one party and its allies. And the results speak for themselves. You created seven new seats in Jammu and Kashmir and out of those six seats were won by the BJP. You redrew assembly constituencies to benefit one particular party or its allies. And the same is true for West Bengal as well," he said.
Referring to the INIDA bloc, he said the election results were no new message for the alliance.
"We need to decide what the INDIA bloc is for. Is it only for Parliament or for state elections as well?" he asked.
"What happened in West Bengal is unfortunate. The Congress and TMC fought against each other. Now the Congress agrees with Mamata Banerjee that 100 seats were stolen, but the fact is they fought each other," he said.
Despite the friction, Abdullah reaffirmed the "pre-eminent position" of the Congress within the opposition alliance, dismissing the idea of any other party assuming the mantle.
"The Congress is the only party other than the BJP with a pan-India presence. All of us acknowledge this," he stated.
"To suggest someone else can assume a leadership role would be incorrect. Kharge Sahib is the president of the Congress, and by virtue of that, he assumes leadership of the INDIA bloc meetings. That is the way it should be," the chief minister said.
Abdullah said any 'Common Minimum Programme' would depend on whether the opposition alliance decides to fight state assembly elections collectively, noting that he would share his specific views with the bloc internally rather than through the media.
