Bengaluru, Feb 17 (IANS): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar on Friday said that boycotting of the budget by the BJP is an insult to the people of Karnataka.

“The Opposition boycotted the Budget as its leaders could not digest the fact that the Congress government was able to dedicate resources for developmental works in spite of guarantee schemes. There is no other instance in Karnataka politics when the opposition boycotted the budget presentation. It is an insult to the democratic process,” the Deputy Chief Minister said while talking to a media person after presenting the Budget.

He said that the budget is a livelihood providing budget which aims to bring change in the lives of people.

“It is a budget which keeps Bengaluru’s long-term developmental interests in mind. It is a budget which has a vision for irrigation projects,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the government has taken up development of KRS gardens, Navali Balancing reservoir, Upper Krishna and Kalasa Banduri projects.

“We have taken up the Kalasa Banduri project awaiting Centre’s approval. We are preparing for Mekedatu too. The budget has brought in a lot of focus on irrigation,” he said.

He said that the aim is to resolve the land related issues in the city and an effort is also being made to deliver land records to the doorstep.

He said that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has presented a model budget for the country.

Over allegations of higher borrowings in this budget, he said, “We have mobilised funds for the state within the permissible boundaries of fiscal discipline.”