BJP demands White Paper on Karnataka’s finances

Accusing the Congress government of letting down farmers in distress by failing to offer concrete financial support, the BJP has demanded a White Paper on the State’s finances to know if poor financial condition had come in the way of helping farmers.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Wednesday, BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra alleged that the government had displayed an “apathetic attitude” towards farmers by announcing a paltry one-time subsidy of ₹2,500 to them. Referring to a recent note by the Finance Department that had cautioned against taking up new schemes that the State was not in a position to raise new loans, he said Karnataka was in a bad condition financially. Already, several legislators and Ministers had started referring to the financial burden of guarantee schemes on the State exchequer, he said. A White Paper will provide a clear picture, he added.