Budget lacks financial discipline, says MLA

MLA U T Khader has urged BJP State President Nalin Kumar Kateel, who is also MP from Dakshina Kannada, to set right the injustice meted out to Karnataka in the Union budget. The budget has not announced any mega projects to Karnataka.

Speaking to mediapersons, Khader said all BJP MPs from Karnataka should demand more projects and budgetary allocations to the state.

‘’We had expected several projects to Dakshina Kannada district as State BJP President and DK MP Nalin Kumar Kateel hails from the region. The budget lacks financial discipline. There is nothing for common man and generation of employment.’’ At a time when the economic slowdown has affected the country, the budget should have given a boost to the revival of the economy. Unfortunately, the Centre has announced to sell stakes in state-owned LIC and IDBI Bank.

The Union government in the budget has encouraged external commercial borrowings and foreign direct investment in the education sector for financing infrastructure, he said. Raking up emotional issues will not help in the development of the country, he said and added that the budget has not announced anything to double the income of the farmers.

To a query on troll on housing project initiated at Ombathukere, the MLA said that the plan for constructing apartments by demolishing the already constructed houses is ready. Housing Minister can take a call on it and lay foundation stone for the same. It is the BJP-led State government which has to take up the issue of constructing apartments at the site. The project was launched in 2000 to construct houses for 390 beneficiaries. The locals who were apprehensive that the housing project will pollute the Ombathukere lake, had approached the court.

Thus the court had passed a stay order and had issued directions to complete the UGD works to prevent pollution of lake. The UGD work has been taken up. By trolling the issue of Ombathukere houses, will the house be constructed. Instead, the BJP leaders from the area can mount pressure on the housing minister to get the project on constructing apartments sanctioned.

‘’When the land for the site for housing project was purchased, the price of each cent of land was Rs 9,000. Now, the value of land was between Rs 6 lakh to Rs 7 lakh per cent of land. The purchased 10 acres of land had remained as a government property,’’ he added.