Mixed reactions to State Budget
The Hindu
The Budget for the year 2023-24 presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday received mixed reactions from various quarters. While ruling party leaders have welcomed it, the Opposition has criticised it.
The Budget for the year 2023-24 presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday received mixed reactions from various quarters. While ruling party leaders have welcomed it, the Opposition has criticised it.
Professionals and office-bearers of various organisations have welcomed some proposals and taken exception to some. A few termed it a ‘Bengaluru-centric Budget’.
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal, and Mines Pralhad Joshi termed the Budget as the one which guaranteed tax burden on the people. In a press release, Mr. Joshi said that the allocation of 26% of the Budget outlay for the guarantee schemes would push the State into debt trap. Mr. Siddaramaiah through his Budget has guaranteed that the people would have to carry more debt burden, he said.
Mr. Joshi also took exception to the announcement of abolition of NEP and withdrawal of laws passed during the previous BJP regime and said the Congress government had indulged in vengeance politics by discontinuing schemes and projects. Throughout the Budget speech, Mr. Siddaramaiah made allegations against the Centre indicating that in the coming days he would continue blaming the Centre for his government’s failure, he said.
Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar welcomed the Budget saying that it had proposals for the welfare of all and development of the State. He said that the fiscal health of the State had deteriorated during the previous BJP regime and now Mr. Siddaramaiah had proposed several measures aimed at regaining the fiscal health and at the same time, he had ensured that all the guarantee schemes had funds required for implementation.
President of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Vinay Javali welcomed the State budget saying that it was good to see that the guarantee schemes were being implemented without extra burden on the people. However, the Bengaluru-centric approach was a matter of disappointment, he said, adding that more focus should have been given on North Karnataka.
Chartered Accountant Sheshagiri Kulkarni termed the Budget Bengaluru-centric and felt that Mr. Siddaramaiah should have done more to address the regional imbalance seen clearly in the Budget. While withdrawal of APMC Amendment Act was welcome, North Karnataka should have received more industrial development-oriented projects, he said.
The Madras High Court on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, rejected a plea by former special Director General of Police (DGP) Rajesh Das to restore the electricity service connection to a bungalow in Thaiyur near Kelambakkam in Chengalpattu district, and to restrain Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) officials from disturbing the power supply in future.
The Madras High Court on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, permitted Anna University to deposit, in three monthly instalments, an amount of ₹73.23 lakh before the Central Government Industrial Tribunal (CGIT) as a condition to hear a statutory appeal preferred by the varsity against the Coimbatore Regional Provident Fund (RPF) Commissioner’s order to pay dues to the tune of ₹2.44 crore to contract employees.