Bengaluru, September 22 (Daily Kiran) : Senior BJP leader R. Ashok has leveled serious accusations against the Karnataka government, claiming that the state’s financial department has revealed a looming crisis. Speaking on September 22 in Bengaluru, Ashok pointed to a communication from the finance department, which indicated limited scope for new projects and borrowing.
During a discussion in the assembly about the drought situation, Ashok cited a report from September 17. He asserted that the government failed to act promptly despite warnings of low rainfall, significantly depleting its borrowing capacity.
According to Ashok, the finance department noted that around ₹1,000 crore worth of projects were excluded from the budget. He warned that financing new schemes could be challenging until additional resources are identified.
He further highlighted that the fiscal deficit had reached 2.95 percent, just shy of the 3 percent limit set under the FRBM framework, while the revenue deficit stood at ₹22,952 crore. Ashok claimed that the state’s outstanding liabilities had surged to 24.94 percent of its GDP, nearing the 25 percent threshold.
Due to these financial constraints, Ashok argued that Karnataka’s ability to secure new loans is severely limited. He pointed out that pending bills have accumulated to approximately ₹2 lakh crore, with four departments, including public works and water resources, accounting for ₹36,136 crore of this total. He noted that over ₹5,000 crore worth of projects had been approved in the first half of the financial year.
Ashok stated, “A natural drought can only be addressed if there is no financial drought within the government,” warning that the state’s financial situation could hinder relief efforts for drought, drinking water, and fodder supplies.
He accused the government of delaying action related to drought, despite warnings from the India Meteorological Department in April and indications of a potential El Niño effect from the central government. Ashok questioned why the government took four months to declare a drought after submitting a cabinet note in April.
He also criticized the government’s inadequate arrangements for drinking water, fodder, animal shelters, and borewell repairs. With approximately 37 lakh borewells in Karnataka, he raised concerns about their operational status.
Ashok condemned cloud seeding efforts, claiming that ₹28 crore had been spent despite warnings from the weather department, and argued that farmers had not benefited from this initiative. As of September 4, he noted that sowing had only occurred on 67.32 lakh hectares, falling short of the 84.10 lakh hectare target.
He urged the government to consider waiving farm loans, providing ₹50,000 per acre in compensation, regulating private lenders, creating jobs under rural schemes, stockpiling fodder, constructing animal shelters, dredging lakes, and easing restrictions on borewells when necessary. Additionally, he called for support for families affected by the drought and assistance for their children’s education, alongside the implementation of a proposed ₹5,000 crore natural disaster fund.
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