Raichur MP raises AIIMS demand in Lok Sabha, urges Centre to rectify flaw in 16th Finance Commission

Bengaluru: Alleging that the injustice meted out Karnataka in allocation of central funds, Raichur Lok Sabha member G Kumar Naik has urged the Centre to set right the flaw in allocation of funds to the state in the 16th Finance Commission.

"The15th Finance Commission drastically reduced Karnataka’s share of central taxes by 23 per cent, from 4.7 per cent to 3.6 per cent, the steepest decline among states," he said while participating in debate on the Budget in Lok Sabha.

"Given that the Finance Commission is a constitutional body, the Finance Minister’s hands will soon be tied once again, by the 16th Finance Commission’s report. The Report must not be reduced to a mere theoretical exercise; it must reflect ground realities," he said.

He further said that there's need for framework that upholds balanced development, cooperative federalism, social harmony, and a sense of financial justice,

"This budget is neither a mirror that reflects our prevailing reality nor a lamp that illuminates the path forward. The GDP growth has plummeted from 8.2% to 6.4%. Year-on-year inflation in the Consumer Food Price Index has surged to 8.39%, squeezing household budgets. Inequality is at an all-time high, with the top 1% controlling a staggering 40% of the country’s wealth," he said.

'Centre must take steps to set up an AIIMS at Raichur'

Congress MP also raised the demand of setting up AIIMS at Raichur, saying that Karnataka is the only major state that still lacks an AIIMS.

"The Government must take steps to ensure that private hospitals treat
poor patients with dignity under the Ayushman Bharat. Tertiary healthcare infrastructure is crucial for ensuring equitable access to specialized medical services. Yet, Karnataka is the only major state that still lacks an AIIMS. The Centre must take steps to set up an AIIMS at Raichur," he said.

"SCs and STs make up 25.2% of India’s population, and minorities
about 19% , yet their budgetary allocations remain disproportionately low.
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana have enacted laws ensuring that budget allocations are proportional to SC/ST populations. A National SCSP/TSP (The Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) Schemes), Act is urgently needed to legally mandate SC/ST budget allocations," he said.