Shivkumar’s Coastal Tour Highlighted Funding Gaps, Says Opposition

Bengaluru, Sept 23 – During a visit to Karnataka’s coastal region, Chief Minister D.K. Shivkumar was confronted by BJP leaders who claimed the trip exposed severe financial shortfalls. Party head B.Y. Vijayendra asserted that the government could not allocate new relief funds for drought‑hit areas because the finance department had warned of insufficient resources.

The BJP demanded the Chief Minister publish a white paper on the state’s fiscal health, arguing that the Congress government has taken on over ₹4 lakh crore in fresh borrowing, inflating the total debt to nearly ₹8 lakh crore.

Vijayendra accused the administration of continuously announcing multi‑crore development projects without the fiscal capacity to execute them. He likened the situation to a “bankrupt” state unable to meet basic welfare commitments, including disability, old‑age and widow pensions.

The opposition also raised concerns about alleged corruption in the education department’s procurement of shoes and socks for students, and highlighted delays in teacher recruitment and salary payments.

Opposition figures R. Ashok and Chalavadi Narayan Swami were present at the protest, emphasizing the need for transparent financial reporting and accountability.