Karnataka pushed into debt trap under Siddaramaiah govt: MP Chowta

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta alleged that the three-year achievement of the state govt led by chief minister Siddaramaiah was pushing Karnataka into the "loop of indebtedness”.

Chowta told reporters on Wednesday, that Karnataka was once known for fiscal discipline and had recorded a revenue surplus during the tenure of former CM Basavaraj Bommai. However, it has now moved to revenue defecit.

“The government, which is celebrating three years in office, must answer for this situation,” he said. Citing two consecutive reports of the CAG report, Chowta alleged that the government had failed to maintain financial discipline and had pushed people into a cycle of debt. He also accused the state government of negligence in implementing central govt schemes. He said the govt was not borrowing for asset creation, calling it a dangerous precedent.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), he said 6.4 lakh houses had been sanctioned, and about 2.5 lakh houses remain incomplete. He further alleged that Rs 800 crore incentives under the Ksheera Dhare scheme has been pending for dairy farmers for the past nine months, and accused Congress government diverting the funds SCSP-TSP.

“Despite being in politics for so many years, it is difficult to understand why Siddaramaiah is functioning this way during this phase of his political career,” he said.

The MP alleged that the health department in Dakshina Kannada was dependant largely on CSR funds, amounting to Rs 25 crore, and accused the department of failing to pay salaries and make fresh recruitments. He further alleged corruption in transfers and administrative functioning.

Accusing the Congress high command of treating Karnataka like an "ATM”, he said the govt was pushing people into debt. He also alleged that the Minority Colony Development initiative was against the principles of BR Ambedkar and termed it an attempt at “ghettoisation”.

Responding to a question on BJP-ruled states have also announced guarantee schemes, Chowta said the BJP was not opposed to welfare schemes but blamed Karnataka’s problems on poor financial management. “The situation is not the same in states like Gujarat and Maharashtra,” he said.

On the recent increase in petrol and diesel prices, Chowta said the decision was driven by global economic challenges. “Though it is currently a challenge, steps have been taken to ensure that the economy does not deteriorate further,” he said.