As expected, the Karnataka budget session that began on Monday got off to a stormy start, with the opposition dismissing the Governor’s speech—praising the government’s guarantee schemes without adverse effects on the economy—as “a bunch of lies.”

The opposition, comprising the BJP and Janata Dal (Secular), is also enraged by the schedule of the budget session, arguing that it is too short to allow for a thorough examination and evaluation of the budget in the House.

Advertisement

BJP state unit president BY Vijayendra alleged that development in Karnataka had come to a standstill, while the governor’s address, prepared by the Siddaramaiah government, painted a contrary picture.

“If you listen to the governor’s address, you will realize that this government has wasted the Governor’s time. The address begins by stating that the state government has ensured speedy development, but in reality, it has turned the speech into a complete falsehood,” he said.

Furthermore, Vijayendra criticized the government for allegedly avoiding a proper legislative session for budget discussions. “This government has no intention of holding a meaningful legislative session. Bengaluru alone needs two to three days of debate. Look at Belagavi—so many issues, yet no time! They don’t even have funds for development, so what will they even discuss,” he questioned, echoing the sentiments of BJP and JD(S) members.

Despite the opposition’s protests, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, as per tradition, read out his speech at the inaugural sitting of the budget session. In his address, he lauded the state government’s performance across various sectors, stating that Karnataka had defied predictions of economic downturn due to the implementation of the ambitious ‘guarantee’ schemes.

Speaking to the joint session of the state legislature, the governor claimed that Karnataka is developing a unique model of governance that is being studied by economists and universities worldwide. He emphasized that inequality in the state was decreasing due to the effective implementation of welfare programs.

“The government has proven the skeptics wrong. Karnataka has made significant progress in every sector. The state’s income is rising, and private capital is flowing in at record levels,” he stated.

The “Karnataka model of development,” he explained, is focused on a people-centric approach to economic, social, and cultural governance.

“This model includes green energy initiatives and women’s empowerment. Global experts are studying it extensively. Oxford University has described it as ‘Shining a Light in the Darkness’ and ‘A Blueprint for the World’ in its Human Rights Hub blog. The head of the United Nations has personally visited Karnataka to learn about this model and has openly praised our programs,” he noted.

Highlighting the agricultural sector’s performance, the governor said that the absence of heavy rains and drought had resulted in a good harvest. Agricultural production for the kharif and rabi seasons is expected to reach 149 lakh tonnes. Additionally, he pointed out that farmer suicides had significantly declined due to government welfare initiatives.

The governor also underscored the scale of welfare spending, stating that over ₹90,000 crore is being spent annually on social programs, benefiting more than 1.25 crore families through direct cash transfers, subsidies, and incentives.

Efforts are being made to transform Karnataka into a ₹1 trillion economy, he asserted. The state has allocated 15.01% of its 2024-25 budget for capital expenditure.

Revenue collection in the first three quarters of the financial year 2024-25 reached ₹1,81,908 crore, with revenue receipts growing by 13% and GST collections increasing by 12% year-on-year until December 2024.