Training his guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday sought to project his experiment of implementing Universal Basic Income concept through five guarantees as “Karnataka model of development” as against the much-talked about “Gujarat model” of the BJP.
“The BJP has robbed from the pockets of poor people. But our government has tried to put money into the pockets of poor people through Universal Basic Income concept being implemented through five poll guarantees,” the Chief Minister said while replying to the debate on the State Budget in Karnataka Assembly.
Describing the five guarantee schemes as the “biggest ever welfare measure implemented by any State in India”, he said the Congress had decided to implement them after realising that people of the State were in dire need of a support system as they were badly hit by the BJP rule and its policies. Several developed countries had adopted such a system to support their people, he pointed out. “Our model of development is inclusive and based on the principles of Buddha, Basaveshwara, Ambedkar, Gandhi and Kuvempu,” he said.
Poor pay more tax
“The corporates used to pay more tax in the country before the Narendra Modi regime. But now, the middle class and poor people pay more tax while the tax burden of corporates has reduced. In fact, the BJP has waived loans of corporates to the tune of ₹12 lakh crore. How can they be called pro-poor?” Mr. Siddaramaiah wondered during his reply that was made amidst boycott of the Opposition BJP and JD(S). Such schemes would boost the economy too, he maintained.
Taking exception to Mr. Modi’s comments that Karnataka will become bankrupt if all the five guarantees were implemented, Mr. Siddaramaiah accused the BJP dispensation at the Centre of “ruining the State’s finances.” “Karnataka pays highest central tax of ₹4 lakh crore a year next to Maharashtra. But in return, we get a paltry Central share of ₹37,000 crore. The Central share in several projects that used to be around 80% earlier has now dwindled to the range of 75-80%,” he alleged.
He said while Karnataka’s share in the 15th Finance Commission had reduced from the earlier 4.71% to 3.65%, the recommendation for allocating a special grant of ₹ 5,495 crore to the State too had been rejected by the Centre.
“Our BJP State leaders including B.S. Yediyurappa who threatened to stage a struggle if there is a shortfall of single grain in implementing our Amma Bhagya scheme, did not even ask Mr. Modi why allocation of special grants for the State have been rejected,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
Meanwhile, the Budget got the approval of the Assembly with the adoption of Karnataka Appropriation Bill.
