‘BJP cannot look at good work’: Minister calls state budget ‘balanced’

BENGALURU: Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday defended his government’s budget, saying that the opposition BJP is willfully ignoring the good work being done.

Rao said that the budget was “very balanced” and highlighted the attention given to all departments, with a special focus on healthcare.

“They (BJP) cannot look at the good work that we are doing, and it’s a very balanced budget… We have done everything possible. Development is also being looked into. All departments have received attention, and my health department has received tremendous attention. We are building new hospitals. We are coming out with a program for maternal deaths, and so many other important issues have been addressed,” Rao told reporters.

The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticised the Karnataka government Budget presented today, calling it a “Halal Budget” and claiming that it was for the “appeasement” of minorities.

The BJP highlighted the provisions of the Budget, which “mainly” focus on the welfare of the minorities.

“Scam CM @siddaramaiah in Karnataka presents a Halal Budget—appeasement at its peak! Reservation for Muslims in government contracts. Rs50,000 assistance for Muslim simple marriages. Rs150 crore for infrastructure development of Waqf properties & graveyards. Rs 50 lakh for Muslim cultural programs. New ITI college to be set up in Muslim-dominated areas. 50% fee concession for Muslim students under KEA. Residential PU college for Muslim girls in Ullal town. Increase in National & Foreign Scholarships for Muslim students. Expansion of Bengaluru’s Haj Bhavan with additional buildings. Self-defense training for Muslim girl students. What about SCs, STs, and OBCs? Absolutely nothing!” BJP Karnataka posted on X.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, while presenting the Budget, claimed that the state government maintained its fiscal deficit for the financial year 2025-26.

The total expenditure estimated for the financial year 2025-26 is Rs.4,09,549 crores, which includes revenue expenditure of Rs. 3,11,739 crores, capital botem expenditure of Rs. 71,336 crores and loan repayment of Rs. 26,474 crores.

According to the Karnataka government’s Budget, for the financial year 2025-26, revenue deficit is estimated to be Rs. 19,262 crores, which is 0.63 per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). Fiscal Deficit is estimated to be Rs. 90,428 crores, which is 2.95 per cent of GSDP. Total liabilities at the end of 2025-26 are estimated to be Rs. 7,64,655 crores, which is 24.91 per cent of GSDP.

The Karnataka government has given priority to basic infrastructure in Bengaluru city in this budget and announced measures to battle traffic congestion in the city. In this budget, the yearly grant of Rs. 3,000 crores that was being provided to Bengaluru City has been enhanced to Rs 7,000 crores in the current year.

Additionally, a new Special Purpose Vehicle will be established to utilise these grants and implement major developmental works on priority.
According to the Budget, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has yielded an additional revenue of Rs. 4,556 crores through various reforms and substantially increasing property tax collection.

#WATCH | Bengaluru | Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao says, “They (BJP) cannot look at the good work that we are doing, and it’s a very balanced budget… We have done everything possible. Development is also being looked into. All departments have received attention, and my… pic.twitter.com/E3pXfxY0rK

— ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2025

The government has guaranteed Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Rs. 19,000 crores for undertaking the North-South and East-West Corridors (tunnels) at a cost of Rs. 40,000 crores.

To mitigate vehicular congestion and ensure the smooth movement of traffic on Bengaluru’s major roads, a 40.5 km double-decker flyover will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 8,916 crores along with the Namma Metro Phase 3 Project.

The state Budget 2025-26 has also given specific focus to minorities. To provide formal education along with religious education in madrasas, computers, smart boards, and other necessary basic facilities will be provided to the students to prepare them for writing the SSLC examination through NIOS.

Minority youth will be encouraged to launch new start-ups through the Karnataka Minority Development Corporation. For the repair and renovation of Waqf properties and for providing infrastructure and protection of Muslim burial grounds, an amount of Rs. 150 crores has been provided.

The Karnataka CM also confirmed that 4 per cent of public works contracts will now be reserved for Muslims under a category called Category-II B while presenting the Karnataka government’s Budget.

Reservation will be provided in the procurement of goods and services under various government departments, corporations, and institutions for suppliers belonging to SC, ST, Category-I, Category-II A, and Category-II B, up to Rs 1 crore, in which Category-II B refers to Muslims.

A Sannati Development Authority will be established in the ancient Buddhist centre of Sannati in the Chittapura taluka of the Kalaburgi district.

The honorarium given to Jain priests, Chief Grantis of Sikhs and Pesh-Imams of mosques will be enhanced to Rs 6,000 per month. The honorarium given to Assistant Granti and Muezzin has been increased to Rs 5,000 per month.

The Budget Session of the Karnataka Assembly commenced on March 3. (ANI)