Central funds: Raw deal for K’taka again

It is only with prudence, sagacity, and much dexterity that great aims are accomplished, and all obstacles surmounted….’’ remarked one of the greatest warriors of all time, Napoleon Bonaparte centuries ago. Sadly, the word sagacity which translates into foresight and the ability to make good judgments, seems to have gone missing from the lexicon of the ruling dispensation at the Centre. What else would explain the raw deal Karnataka has received in fund allocation from the Centre, which has given the state a mere Rs 6,310 crore of the Rs 1,73,030 crore allocated to all states together? This for a state which ranks second in GST collection and leads the nation in GST growth with an impressive 17 per cent increase.

Karnataka, according to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, contributes Rs 4.5 lakh crore annually to the national exchequer but receives only Rs 45,000 crore in tax share and Rs 15,000 crore in grants a mere 13 paise for every rupee the state contributes to the central kitty! The chief minister has therefore rightfully called on every Kannadiga, cutting across caste, religion and politics, to rise against this discrimination and fight for ‘’what is rightfully ours.’’ Seeing state requirements through the prism of narrow political consideration and denying well-performing states their rightful share of funds, is something which could be dubbed the height of political opportunism. What is even more sad is that leaders and elected representatives of the ruling front in power in Delhi, who were elected from Karnataka, are maintaining a studious silence on this shabby treatment the state has been meted out, maybe for fear of offending their high and mighty leaders. Karnataka is no ordinary state, something politicians in New Delhi are well aware of. It houses the Information Technology (IT) hub of the country drawing huge investments from abroad.

Export of software and software peripherals from the city runs into lakhs of crores of rupees providing huge employment opportunities for youngsters from across the country. A range of ancillary industries have also sprung up, which have contributed immensely to the industrialisation of the region as a whole. The city boasts of a unique cosmopolitan culture and has become a big draw for people from across the country and the globe, thanks to its salubrious climate and its pleasant natured populace. The best schools and institutes of higher learning, recreation spots and cultural hubs, you name it Bengaluru has it all in abundant measure. Which could be why any Indian citizen, tired of the daily monotony of life and looking for a spot to unwind or just enjoy the magical atmosphere of an urban hotspot, would inevitably ask: ‘Why not Bengaluru?’ There are few cities and states which can match Bengaluru and Karnataka’s magical lure and the extremely rich resources of every kind they are endowed with.

Yet short-sighted politicians with their lopsided economic policies, are squeezing the state dry of much needed resources so that they can be pumped into the so-called ‘Bimaru’ states. The deprivation of precious resources for selfish political reasons is sure to hit infrastructure and other critical work in the state hard. Such a myopic political decision to punish states which voted differently, will do no good to the process of economic development on the whole. Sadly, we no longer have politicians of the like of former prime minister Pandit Nehru, who had the magnanimity to choose an Opposition politician - Sardar Hukam Singh of the Shiromani Akali Dal - as Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

Or big-hearted politicians who are far-sighted enough to realise that funds cannot be denied for narrow political gain or for getting even with adversaries. Karnataka deserves it rightful share of funds and its leaders, cutting across the political spectrum from the right, left and centre, will have to join hands and put up a dogged fight for this noble cause.