Not asking funds from Centre to implement Guarantee schemes, says Siddaramaiah

The Karnataka Chief Minister said that they have adequate provision for that in the State budget.

Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that Karnataka State Government is not asking for funds from the Union Government to implement five Guarantee schemes.

They have adequate provision for that in the State budget.

Countering her statement that State's claim is not part of the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission, CM stated, "One expects the country’s Finance Minister to speak the truth. Unfortunately, she has been consistently denying the written word. The interim report of the 15th FC for 2020-21 sanctioned Rs 6764 crores for three states, including Karnataka (Rs 5495 crores), Telangana (Rs 723 crores) and Mizoram (Rs 546 crores).

These grants were recommended not because of any special love for these states. These were recommended to ensure that no state receives a lower share in devolution in absolute numbers than the previous year.  In the final report also the 15FC recommended Rs 6,000 crores for Karnataka, Rs 3000 crores for revival of water bodies and Rs 3000 crores for the Peripheral Ring Road for Bengaluru."

"The Ministry of Finance under the leadership of Nirmala Sitaraman refused to accept these two recommendations thus denying the rightful share for Karnataka," he added. 

Further responding on her statement on giving right share to State, CM countered Nirmala Sitharaman and stated, "Since you don’t seem to have any faith in or commitment to the federal polity enshrined in our Constitution, you don’t seem to understand the concept of rightful share of the states. Kannadigas demand their share. They are not begging," he stated.