BJP and JD(S) slammed the Karnataka Congress govt after a CAG report showed Rs 63,000 crore borrowings for guarantee schemes, warning of a fiscal crisis. Congress defended it as welfare spending.
The Opposition BJP and JD(S) launched a strong attack on the Congress government in Karnataka after a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report revealed that the state borrowed nearly Rs 63,000 crore in 2023-24, largely to fund its guarantee schemes.
BJP MLA Bharath Shetty alleged financial mismanagement, pointing out pending salaries for contract workers and demanding a white paper on the state’s finances. Echoing him, BJP leader Gali Janardhana Reddy said no development works had been undertaken despite rising borrowings. Former minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of mismanaging revenue, stating that higher tax collections had not translated into public welfare.
JD(S) leader C.B. Suresh Babu termed the situation a “crisis,” warning that continued annual borrowing of 20% would burden the exchequer.
Defending the government, Minister K.H. Muniyappa said funds were allocated for development and welfare schemes, while Congress Chief Whip Ashok Pattan stressed that the money was being invested for the poor.