<p>Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said his 2022-23 Budget is "growth-oriented, pro-people and realistic" while the Congress staged a walkout in the Assembly on Wednesday. </p>.<p>"Because of our double-engine government, Karnataka is on the right development track," Bommai said, defending the Modi administration, during his reply to the discussion on the Budget.</p>.<p>Bommai's reply turned the Assembly into an economics classroom as he faced a volley of questions from Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and others on public finances. </p>.<p>"A lot was said on borrowings by our government. In the five years that Congress was in power, liabilities rose 107 per cent even when there was no Covid-19. The BJP government, despite the pandemic, has ensured that fiscal deficit is 3.3 per cent of the GSDP although we could've gone up to 5 per cent. We have brought down revenue deficit to Rs 6,000 crore from an estimated Rs 15,000 crore. Isn't this fiscal discipline?" Bommai said. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read — <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-politics/congress-bjp-lock-horns-in-karnataka-assembly-over-communal-tensions-1091260.html" target="_blank">Congress, BJP lock horns in Karnataka Assembly over communal tensions</a></strong></p>.<p>Bommai blamed Congress for the current fiscal situation. "It is your loans that we're repaying now. You didn't do your job properly," he said. He added that Karnataka faced a shortfall of Rs 21,000 crore in 2020-21. "On top of that, we spent Rs 15,645 crore to manage Covid." </p>.<p>Siddaramaiah brought up devolution. "It's a known fact that Karnataka is the most affected state under the 15th Finance Commission," he said. "In 2018-19, we got Rs 35,895 crore. Last year, it reduced to Rs 21,495 crore. This fiscal, it is Rs 27,145 crore," he said, accusing the Centre of injustice towards the state. </p>.<p>Former minister Krishna Byre Gowda said, "In 2017-18, the Union Budget size was Rs 21 lakh crore and our share in taxes was Rs 31,752 crore, which was 1.47 per cent. The 2022 Union Budget size is Rs 39.45 lakh crore. At 1.47 per cent, we should get Rs 57,000 crore. Isn't this injustice?" he said. </p>.<p>Bommai accused Gowda of misleading the House. "This is fundamentally wrong. It's a question of how we see economics. Besides devolution, the Centre gives us funds for national highways, food grains, ports, railways and so on," he said, adding that Karnataka received Rs 93,000 crore from the Centre in the current fiscal. </p>.<p>Bommai also quoted figures to say that Karnataka received more grants-in-aid from the Centre under the NDA when compared with the UPA. </p>.<p>Not convinced, Siddaramaiah dubbed Bommai's budget as "anti-development" and one that will take Karnataka deeper into debts before walking out with his MLAs opposing the government's reply.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
<p>Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said his 2022-23 Budget is "growth-oriented, pro-people and realistic" while the Congress staged a walkout in the Assembly on Wednesday. </p>.<p>"Because of our double-engine government, Karnataka is on the right development track," Bommai said, defending the Modi administration, during his reply to the discussion on the Budget.</p>.<p>Bommai's reply turned the Assembly into an economics classroom as he faced a volley of questions from Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and others on public finances. </p>.<p>"A lot was said on borrowings by our government. In the five years that Congress was in power, liabilities rose 107 per cent even when there was no Covid-19. The BJP government, despite the pandemic, has ensured that fiscal deficit is 3.3 per cent of the GSDP although we could've gone up to 5 per cent. We have brought down revenue deficit to Rs 6,000 crore from an estimated Rs 15,000 crore. Isn't this fiscal discipline?" Bommai said. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read — <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-politics/congress-bjp-lock-horns-in-karnataka-assembly-over-communal-tensions-1091260.html" target="_blank">Congress, BJP lock horns in Karnataka Assembly over communal tensions</a></strong></p>.<p>Bommai blamed Congress for the current fiscal situation. "It is your loans that we're repaying now. You didn't do your job properly," he said. He added that Karnataka faced a shortfall of Rs 21,000 crore in 2020-21. "On top of that, we spent Rs 15,645 crore to manage Covid." </p>.<p>Siddaramaiah brought up devolution. "It's a known fact that Karnataka is the most affected state under the 15th Finance Commission," he said. "In 2018-19, we got Rs 35,895 crore. Last year, it reduced to Rs 21,495 crore. This fiscal, it is Rs 27,145 crore," he said, accusing the Centre of injustice towards the state. </p>.<p>Former minister Krishna Byre Gowda said, "In 2017-18, the Union Budget size was Rs 21 lakh crore and our share in taxes was Rs 31,752 crore, which was 1.47 per cent. The 2022 Union Budget size is Rs 39.45 lakh crore. At 1.47 per cent, we should get Rs 57,000 crore. Isn't this injustice?" he said. </p>.<p>Bommai accused Gowda of misleading the House. "This is fundamentally wrong. It's a question of how we see economics. Besides devolution, the Centre gives us funds for national highways, food grains, ports, railways and so on," he said, adding that Karnataka received Rs 93,000 crore from the Centre in the current fiscal. </p>.<p>Bommai also quoted figures to say that Karnataka received more grants-in-aid from the Centre under the NDA when compared with the UPA. </p>.<p>Not convinced, Siddaramaiah dubbed Bommai's budget as "anti-development" and one that will take Karnataka deeper into debts before walking out with his MLAs opposing the government's reply.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
