On the eve of the presentation of the State Budget, BJP leader and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to desist from imposing new taxes, increasing taxes or resorting to more borrowings as this Budget was applicable only for six months and the State was witnessing buoyancy in tax collection.
Speaking on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address to the joint session of the State legislature, Mr. Bommai contended the government would require only around ₹20,000 crore for the implementation of its poll guarantees in this remaining part of this financial year. He maintained that it was possible to fund these guarantees through revenue mobilisation without increasing taxes or resorting to additional borrowings.
Taking exception to the government deciding to provide ₹170 to beneficiaries as a substitute for 5 kg of rice, he expressed concern that it was not possible for poor people to buy 5 kg of rice from this as rice would cost upwards of ₹50 a kg in the retail market.
