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Chief Minister Siddaramaiah connected Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to enact laws for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, alleging that the Centre had shown “no existent concern” for marginalised communities, adjacent arsenic helium flagged delays successful cardinal irrigation projects and pending dues arsenic large contributors to the State’s fiscal stress.
Replying to the statement connected the 2026-27 Budget successful the Legislative Council, Mr. Siddaramaiah rejected BJP members’ complaint that funds earmarked nether the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) were being diverted for warrant schemes. Terming the allegation “far from the truth”, helium said allocations for societal justness had, successful fact, been importantly increased.
More allocation
While the erstwhile BJP authorities had allocated astir ₹1.10 lakh crore nether SCSP/TSP implicit 4 years, the contiguous authorities has allocated ₹1.60 lakh crore implicit a comparable play (including the coming year), an summation of astir ₹50,000 crore, to schemes for the marginalised. Of the ₹4.48 lakh crore Budget, 9.96% has been earmarked for these schemes, higher than the Centre’s 6.5%, helium said.
Recalling that Karnataka had enacted a instrumentality successful 2013 mandating allocation of SCSP/TSP funds successful proportionality to population, helium challenged the BJP to instrumentality a akin model successful States wherever it was successful powerfulness and astatine the nationalist level. He pointed retired that the State had scrapped the ‘7D’ (deemed expenditure) proviso to guarantee much effectual utilisation of these funds.
Trickle-down model
Contrasting approaches, the Chief Minister said the BJP followed a “trickle-down” economical exemplary favouring the wealthy, portion his authorities was focused connected strengthening the little strata done payment measures akin to a cosmopolitan basal income approach. Guarantee schemes were being implemented without favoritism crossed caste, religion and class, helium asserted.
Emphasising the government’s committedness to societal justice, helium said the Budget drew from the principles of B.R. Ambedkar, stressing that economical and societal empowerment indispensable travel governmental freedom.
Project delays, pending dues
Mr. Siddaramaiah said delays successful cardinal irrigation projects were adding to the State’s fiscal burden. The Centre was yet to contented the last notification for the Upper Krishna project, portion ₹5,300 crore announced for the Upper Bhadra task successful 2023-24 had not been released. Clearances for the Mahadayi and Mekedatu projects were pending, affecting irrigation expansion.
“These delays person a nonstop bearing connected some improvement and finances,” helium said, urging MPs from Karnataka to property for approvals and merchandise of funds.
He said ₹3,000 crore had been earmarked for onshore acquisition nether the Upper Krishna project, with compensation fixed astatine ₹40 lakh per acre for irrigated onshore and ₹30 lakh for adust onshore nether a consent grant framework. Additional allocation would beryllium made successful the supplementary Budget if required.
Revenue projection
On gross projections, the Chief Minister said targets were realistic, with ₹1.25 lakh crore estimated for 2026-27, including ₹45,000 crore from excise, ₹29,000 crore from registration and ₹15,500 crore from centrifugal conveyance taxes.
Budget was passed amid a walkout by BJP members, who alleged that it was “anti-Dalit and anti-people”.
