Hubli, Feb 21 (DHNS): Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah has dared Chief Minister Yeddyura- ppa to dispute his statistics on ‘pathetic’ state of the State’s financial condition. 

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, he said the economic condition had worsened but Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa was misleading people by claiming that the Government coffers were full and the finances were in good condition. “The fact that the Government has failed to mobilise resources to meet the budgetary programmes clearly indicates how the State’s finance is,” he added.

Siddaramaiah said the Government had planned to spend Rs 29,500 crore for various development works this fiscal year. But so far, it had spent only Rs 12,413 crore. How would the Government mobilise fund and spend it before March 31, he asked. “This situation would not have arrisen had the Government managed its finances prudently and if the State’s economic situation is good,” he said.

Rs 80,000 crore due

He said the debt burden of the State stood at Rs 39,000 crore earlier. But today it had reached a whopping Rs 80,000 crore. “Yeddyurappa is taking Karnataka towards a debt trap. How is this possible if the financial condition is stable. Let him (Yeddyurappa) deny my data,” he said.

The chief minister was clubbing the taxes generated under all heads till December 2009 and claiming that the Government had collected Rs 850 crore more, when compared to last year. But the fact was the Government’s tax collection was short by Rs 5,500 crore.

Tax achievement was not the comparison between this year and last year. But the achievement was how much the Government collected against the budget target. Senior Congress leaders Jabbar Khan Honnalli, former MP I G Sanadi and Santosh Lad were present.