Karnataka Minister Parameshwara slams Centre, calls Union Budget 'weakest' one

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday termed the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as the ''weakest'' one among the nine budgets tabled by her so far. He also accused the Centre of failing to address the expectations of the common people, particularly Karnataka. Speaking to reporters here, Parameshwara said that the people had placed several hopes on the Budget for the country's development, but all of them had been belied. He alleged that the Union government had completely ignored critical sectors such as agriculture, industry, education and basic infrastructure. ''This is the weakest budget among the nine budgets presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman,'' Parameshwara said. Earlier budgets had given importance to agriculture and the industrial sector and had introduced several programmes aimed at poverty alleviation, he added. Recalling landmark welfare initiatives of previous Congress governments, the home minister said former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had introduced the National Employment Guarantee Scheme, a programme that had no parallel anywhere in the world. ''All that has been thrown to the winds, and the entire country has been disappointed,'' he remarked. Parameshwara pointed out that out of a total Budget size of Rs 53.50 lakh crore, the Centre had raised loans to the tune of Rs 16 lakh crore. ''After borrowing so much, they (BJP Legislators) come to the Legislature and preach lessons to us. After taking such massive loans, what have you given to the people,'' he questioned. He alleged that Karnataka had been completely neglected in the Budget. ''They have not given anything to Karnataka. There is not even a single scheme worth mentioning. Priority should have been given to irrigation, agriculture and infrastructure development. If no schemes are given at all, should this even be called a budget,'' he asked. Expressing disappointment over the education sector, Parameshwara said the world was witnessing rapid changes in education, but India was being pushed backwards. ''There was an expectation that the state would get institutions like IITs and AIIMS. Instead, they have reduced the prices of plastic and firecrackers. This is a thoroughly disappointing budget,'' he said. Referring to the suicide case of realtor and Confident Group chairman C J Roy, who shot himself in his office in Bengaluru on January 30, the home minister said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been constituted to prevent speculation. ''We have formed an SIT so that there should not be different kinds of assumptions and rumours. Let us see what the SIT report says. We will have to examine what role each person played,'' he said.