Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (TP)

Udupi, Mar 6: The Karnataka state budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday has triggered strong reactions from political leaders in the coastal districts. While BJP leaders from Udupi district sharply criticised the budget, alleging neglect of the coastal region, Congress leaders defended it as a balanced and visionary financial plan.

V Sunil Kumar calls it '11 lies' budget

Karkala MLA and former minister V Sunil Kumar described the budget’s substance as a "big zero." He accused the government of failing to introduce meaningful new schemes and noted that the "11G model" was effectively a budget of "11 lies."

"The government has focused more on creating new terminology rather than concrete development initiatives," Sunil Kumar said. He raised concerns over the rising debt burden, noting that liabilities have pushed the state’s total debt to approximately Rs 8,24,389 crore. He further alleged the budget is anti-coastal, pointing out the lack of provisions for a government medical college and west-flowing river projects.

Lakshmi Hebbalkar defends 'balanced' budget

Women and child development minister and Udupi district in-charge minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar described the budget as visionary and fiscally disciplined. She praised the chief minister’s expertise in economics, noting that the budget ensures development across all sections of society.

Minister Hebbalkar highlighted the allocation of Rs 94,663 crore for women-focused programmes, including Rs 28,608 crore for the Gruhalakshmi scheme. She also welcomed the decision to increase financial assistance for former Devadasis and the "revolutionary" step of banning social media for children below 16 years to protect their mental health.

Allegations of regional imbalance

Kaup MLA Gurme Suresh Shetty and Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna both alleged that the coastal districts have been treated unfairly. Shetty claimed the budget was prepared with vote-bank politics in mind, while Suvarna termed it a "dark budget" for the region.

"The demand for a Rs 500 crore allocation to the Narayana Guru Development Corporation was ignored," Suvarna remarked. He warned that the people of the coastal region would give a fitting response to this continued neglect.

BJP and Congress district presidents react

BJP Udupi district president Kutyaru Naveen Shetty described the budget as a "development-less" document that pushes the state into a debt trap. He alleged that the government is struggling to manage its existing guarantee schemes and has failed to respond to the public's need for infrastructure, such as road repairs.

Contradicting this, Udupi district Congress president Ashok Kumar Kodavoor stated that the budget focuses on holistic development. He pointed to the proposed authorities for the development of Kukke Subrahmanya and Kollur temples, a 300-bed hospital in Puttur, and incentives for seaweed farming as proof of the government's commitment to the coast.

District Congress spokesperson Bhaskar Rao Kidiyoor added that the budget successfully combines guarantee schemes with development, including zero-interest loans for farmers and the establishment of new cancer hospitals and trauma centres.