<p>Mangaluru: Former BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel demanded that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led government release a white paper on the budget to clearly indicate the funds released by the Centre to Karnataka.</p><p>The Karnataka government has been alleging discrimination by the Centre. However, Kateel said that the release of a white paper would clearly reveal the actual funds released by the Centre to the state.</p><p>Responding to the Karnataka State Contractors Association’s allegation that pending bills amounting to Rs 37,370 crore remain unpaid, and the state government’s claim that the bills could not be cleared due to the Centre’s failure to release its dues, Kateel told reporters that administrative failure of the state government had led to the non-payment of contractors’ bills.</p>.Karnataka: Tattoo artist assaulted, injured after shot with air gun in Udupi.<p>“Karnataka will soon face a situation where there will be no funds to pay salaries of government employees. Siddaramaiah, who has presented several budgets in the past, has failed to assess the state’s income and expenditure before announcing the guarantee schemes. Karnataka is heading towards bankruptcy due to the financial burden of the five guarantee schemes introduced by the Congress government. Yet, Siddaramaiah is trying to blame the Centre. Why has he not responded to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s clarification on tax devolution?” he asked.</p><p>Replying to a query on Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s claim that no high-speed train would come to Bengaluru, despite announcements in the Union Budget, citing the impracticality of 50:50 funding projects, Kateel said that the majority of railway projects are implemented on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis. “The state government does not want to implement Centre-led projects and is trying to curtail them,” he alleged.</p><p> Kateel said the Union Budget lays a strong foundation for achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat. Financial support for coconut and cocoa crops would benefit farmers in the coastal region, while duty exemptions and export promotion measures for marine products would strengthen the fisheries sector.</p><p><strong>Polls delayed due to power tussle</strong></p><p>On the delay in local body elections, Kateel alleged that elections to city corporations, zilla panchayats and taluk panchayats have been delayed due to the power tussle between the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister.</p><p>On his future political role, Kateel said he would continue to work as a common party worker.</p>
<p>Mangaluru: Former BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel demanded that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led government release a white paper on the budget to clearly indicate the funds released by the Centre to Karnataka.</p><p>The Karnataka government has been alleging discrimination by the Centre. However, Kateel said that the release of a white paper would clearly reveal the actual funds released by the Centre to the state.</p><p>Responding to the Karnataka State Contractors Association’s allegation that pending bills amounting to Rs 37,370 crore remain unpaid, and the state government’s claim that the bills could not be cleared due to the Centre’s failure to release its dues, Kateel told reporters that administrative failure of the state government had led to the non-payment of contractors’ bills.</p>.Karnataka: Tattoo artist assaulted, injured after shot with air gun in Udupi.<p>“Karnataka will soon face a situation where there will be no funds to pay salaries of government employees. Siddaramaiah, who has presented several budgets in the past, has failed to assess the state’s income and expenditure before announcing the guarantee schemes. Karnataka is heading towards bankruptcy due to the financial burden of the five guarantee schemes introduced by the Congress government. Yet, Siddaramaiah is trying to blame the Centre. Why has he not responded to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s clarification on tax devolution?” he asked.</p><p>Replying to a query on Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s claim that no high-speed train would come to Bengaluru, despite announcements in the Union Budget, citing the impracticality of 50:50 funding projects, Kateel said that the majority of railway projects are implemented on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis. “The state government does not want to implement Centre-led projects and is trying to curtail them,” he alleged.</p><p> Kateel said the Union Budget lays a strong foundation for achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat. Financial support for coconut and cocoa crops would benefit farmers in the coastal region, while duty exemptions and export promotion measures for marine products would strengthen the fisheries sector.</p><p><strong>Polls delayed due to power tussle</strong></p><p>On the delay in local body elections, Kateel alleged that elections to city corporations, zilla panchayats and taluk panchayats have been delayed due to the power tussle between the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister.</p><p>On his future political role, Kateel said he would continue to work as a common party worker.</p>