Bengaluru: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday dismissed as “completely false prachaar” (propaganda) the allegations of he state’s ruling Congress that the Centre has “neglected” Karnataka.
Addressing a media meet here, Sitharaman said Karnataka is set to receive a staggering Rs 10,041 crore interest-free loan for 50 years from the central government.
Sitharaman pointed out that between 2009 and 2014, when the Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre, Karnataka received a paltry Rs 835 crore for railways. This year’s budget, however, allocates an impressive Rs 7,559 crore solely for the state’s railway development, showcasing a dramatic increase in support.
Sitharaman meticulously detailed the Centre’s substantial investments in Karnataka. “Kalaburgi is set to receive Rs 200 crore for the construction of a Mitra Park. The state boasts of significant projects like IIT Dharwad, the inauguration of South India’s first industrial corridor in Tumkur, and the selection of seven cities for the Smart Cities Mission, with over ₹6,000 crore allocated for this initiative,” she asserted.
Additionally, 904 projects worth Rs 15,000 crore have already been approved, and Boeing India has established its largest campus in Bengaluru. Infrastructure development is equally robust, with 4,600 km of roads constructed and seven airports under the UDAAN scheme.
Despite the advancements, Karnataka’s residents are suffering from unprecedented inflation, a crisis Sitharaman squarely blamed on the state government. “The state’s draconian fiscal policies have led to increased petrol and diesel prices, a hike in milk prices, elevated property guidance charges, higher stamp duty, vehicle registration hikes, and a lifetime tax on electric vehicles,” she charged.
This, she argued, has driven up the inflation rates in Karnataka far above the national average, highlighting the Congress government’s failure to manage the state’s economy.
Sitharaman didn’t hold back in criticising the Congress for boycotting NITI Aayog meetings. She noted West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s participation as a “positive step” but lamented the opposition’s tendency to claim their voices are unheard despite ample opportunities to speak up. This, she suggested, is indicative of a broader strategy of deflection and evasion by the Congress. UNI
