Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday sent out a clear message to continue the guarantees despite the criticism by the opposition and a section of party leaders by announcing that the guarantees are not freebies, they are strategic investments made on economic and social concerns.
The CM said this while presenting the state budget for the financial year 2025-26 at the Legislative Assembly on Friday. It is CM Siddaramaiah’s 16th budget, the highest by any leader in the state.
CM Siddaramaiah sought the permission of the Speaker U.T. Khader to sit and read out the budget after making opening remarks. He began the budget presentation with lines from poets Kuvempu and Gopalakrishna Adiga.
He stated, “I am pleased to present the budget for the year 2025-26 before the Assembly. The budget is not merely a lifeless exercise of adding and subtracting numbers. I stand here with the utmost understanding that I carry a huge responsibility of putting forward our promises made to the seven crore people of the state, breathing the hopes of a better life.”
“This budget reaffirms our commitment to fulfil the dreams of every citizen of the state, creating hopes for tomorrow, and honouring our promise to ‘Walk the Talk’. It embodies Mahatma Gandhi’s vision that the welfare of all is achievable through a sustainable and just economy and showcases the government’s dedication to social and economic equality,” CM Siddaramaiah stated.
He further said that the principle of the beast, “Survival of the Fittest” is often referred to as ‘Social Darwinism’. On the contrary to this, Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar framed our Constitution to build a nation founded with the hope of an equal society built on the foundation of humanity. Behind our Constitution lie the dreams of philosophers like Buddha, Basavanna, Narayana Guru, and others. Inspired by their vision, we are leading the state with unwavering commitment. Our government is firmly resolved to continue securing the foundation of social justice,” he underlined.
“The government has the responsibility to ensure that available resources are accessible to everyone. By balancing economic development with people’s welfare, we are shaping Karnataka’s development model through the concept of Universal Basic Income. Many of the welfare programmes we offer, including the five guarantees, are not merely freebies; I can confidently say that these are strategic investments made on economic and social principles,” he said.
“As Muzaffar Assadi, a renowned scholar of our state, has stated, ‘behind the guarantee schemes lie the suffering of the poor, the violence of poverty, the struggles of women, and the vision of an unequal India’,” he said.
CM Siddaramaiah further stated, “The schemes of the Government of Karnataka are emphatic answers to many social and economic questions raised by various international forums. We have launched welfare programmes with the aim of increasing people’s purchasing power. While advancing the state through women’s empowerment is one of the approaches, we are also making significant efforts to address environmental crises through a ‘green economy’.”
“Our state is at the forefront of renewable energy, promoting environmentally friendly industries, and vigorously recycling and purifying used water — a practice praised by international forums. We prioritize education and health, with our residential schools and hostels providing quality education and food to the largest number of students in the country. We are dedicated to making young people globally skilled by formulating and implementing innovative policies and plans,” he stated.
(IANS)
