Karnataka Budget provides a much-needed social security net

On July 7, Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented the Budget in the Vidhana Soudha. A momentous Budget with an outlay of Rs 3,27,747 crore was presented. He kicked off the Budget speech by asserting the Congress’s deep-rooted principles of social justice and development, interconnected since the time of 12-century philosopher-social reformer Basavanna. The Budget is a manifestation of this belief system that places the public at the centre of governance.

Some argue that the announcements in the Budget are big-ticket promises to sway the public considering the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, and this will lead to the state's impoverishment. However, the fact is that Karnataka’s history reflects the Congress’s approach of not resorting to empty promises and catchphrases, but walking the talk. The Congress not only strives for equality, but for equality of autonomy (as Amartya Sen puts it), so that the state is ever-resilient and never at a disadvantage.

Taking the party’s vision and earlier efforts further, the Budget encompasses Congress’s five guarantees: Gruha Jyothi, Gruha Lakshmi, Yuvanidhi, Shakti, and the revised Anna Bhagya. Families suffering from the negative impacts of escalating inflation, which is the product of the Union government's policies, will find respite from Gruha Lakshmi and Gruha Jyothi. Women who benefit from the Shakti scheme, which increases their mobility and helps them save money, can explore opportunities in locations that are further away from their homes. While Anna Bhagya makes sure that no one goes hungry, Yuvanidhi will give young people willing to work the mental fortitude they require.

In addition, there are numerous other initiatives for the welfare and development of Karnataka. These include establishing the Karnataka Digital Health Society to better implement the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and other digital initiatives under health, relaunching the Krishi Bhagya with an outlay of Rs 100 crore, provision of supplementary nutrition to all children from Class 1-10, a new education policy specific to the state’s context to address the exclusionary approach of the National Education Policy (NEP), and a strong focus on women’s empowerment and safety. The list goes on.

India is a nation that has always been proud of being a welfare State. Through the proposed Budget, the Congress continues to further that legacy by putting the spirit and letter of the Constitution’s Articles 38 and 39 into practice. These Articles set the mandate for governments to create an environment where social welfare is promoted and people’s rights are protected, embodying the spirit of our democracy.

This is particularly true when it comes to Congress’s guarantees. Labelling the Congress’s guarantees as freebies is an insult to the values and principles we stand for as a nation. As pointed out by Siddaramaiah, it was Babasaheb Ambedkar who stated that “an economic plan that does not guarantee security is of no use. For the plan to be acceptable, it must be economical and secure. It will do, if it is not economical; but it will certainly not do if it is not secure”.

The Union Budget 2023-24 showed sharp reductions in social security schemes, and the Siddaramaiah government does not want Karnataka to follow the same trajectory. As the people’s representatives, we intend to fulfil our mandate for the betterment of the public without adding to their existing burden through meticulous fiscal planning. The state government’s guarantees will, in fact, end up adding Rs 4,000-Rs 5,000 each to the incomes of about 1.3 crore families in the state.

Attempts to mislead the public about the state government’s schemes should be exposed and condemned as it will deprive the common people an opportunity to move forward. Over the next five years the fruits of development will be shared with the vulnerable sections in the society by addressing the socio-economic differences created by the previous government. It is time for the people of Karnataka to receive what is due to them.

(N S Boseraju is Minister of Minor Irrigation, Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka.)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.