Siddu criticises K'taka budget as 'directionless'

Mysore, Mar 18: Former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah today termed the State budget as ''directionless, full of false promises and lacking in vision.''

Addressing mediapersons here, he said the budget was election oriented with an eye on the coming local body polls and ''imminent mid-term elections to the State Assembly''. Being the first budget of the eleventh five-year plan, the budget needed to plan for the economic growth as was mentioned in the 11th Plan Period by the Planning Commission.

Criticising the budget for having no vision to increase food production, which was just 80 lakh metric tonnes as against the target of 114 lakh metric tonnes, Mr Siddaramaiah said the allocation for irrigation was Rs 3,100 crore, less by Rs 1,000 crore compared to the previous year. The budget was also found lacking in housing schemes and infrastracture sector.

About the waiver of short-term farm loans taken from cooperative banks, he said the budgetary allocation for the purpose was only Rs 500 crore out of the total required Rs 1,500 crore. He demanded that the entire amount be provided to the cooperative banks immediately.

Though the budget mentioned about Rs 1,471 crore for implementing the recommendations of the Nanjundappa Committee on removing regional imbalance in the State, funds have not been allocated for the same in the budget.

UNI