Speaking about the welfare measures introduced by the Siddaramaiah government, the Governor claimed that contrary to predictions that the state's economy would be affected due to the welfare schemes, the state has in fact improved on various parameters.
Published Mar 03, 2025 | 3:15 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 03, 2025 | 3:15 PM
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot with CM Siddaramaiah and DyCM DK Shivakumar. (X)
Synopsis: Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, in his speech at the joint assembly session on 3 March, praised the state’s development, emphasising the success of welfare schemes, law enforcement improvements, and economic growth. He highlighted the state’s achievements in agriculture, dairy, and foreign investment. However, the opposition, led by BJP’s BY Vijayendra, criticised the speech, alleging a lack of tangible progress and development.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Monday, 3 March, addressing the joint assembly session, said there were no serious law and order issues in the state in the last 19 months. His speech marked the start of the 15-day budget session.
The remarks come amid the allegations of failure of law and order by the Opposition. In the address, he said, “Police stations are working in a people-friendly manner.”
Speaking further on the increase in cybercrimes, he said, “In recent times, cybercrime cases have been increasing in the entire country. The state police department is constantly working to create awareness and quickly identify the criminals, so these cases are also decreasing.”
Governor Gehlot added, “The police department is being provided with the necessary resources. Priority has been given to building 26 well-equipped police stations and 2016 residential houses in the current year.”
Speaking on the microloans-related ordinance, he added, “Recent incidents of harassment, violence, and pressure in debt collection from economically weaker sections have been reported in the state. To address this, the government has implemented an ordinance to prevent such actions. The ordinance mandates a minimum sentence of six months and a maximum of 10 years, along with a fine of up to ₹5 lakh for those found guilty of harassment.”
He also claimed that the ruling Congress government has succeeded in accelerating the pace of development of the state and further strengthened the financial system.
In his speech, speaking of the welfare measures introduced by the Siddaramaiah government, the Governor claimed that contrary to the predictions that the state’s economy would be affected due to the welfare schemes, the state has, in fact, improved on various parameters.
“Some people had predicted that with the implementation of the government’s ambitious welfare schemes, the state’s economy would be affected and development would be halted. This prediction has proved to be false by the government,” the Governor said.
Further stating that Karnataka has recorded good achievements in every sector, Governor Gehlot said, “The state’s income is increasing. Private capital is flowing into the state in record numbers. The severity of inequality is decreasing due to the efficient implementation of welfare programmes. The State is second in foreign direct investment. The growth rate of GST is good.”
Noting that the Karnataka model of development focuses on people-centric economic, social, and cultural governance, he said, “This model is being studied by economists and universities worldwide. Oxford University has described it as ‘Shining a Light in the Darkness’ and ‘A Blueprint for the World’ in its Human Rights Hub blog. The head of the United Nations has also visited the state to learn about this model and praised our programmes.”
“Comprehensive and effective efforts are being made to make Karnataka a $1 trillion economy. Along with this, all efforts are being made to make Karnataka a state with health, education, sanitation and sustainable agriculture for the people,” he added.
Governor Gehlot also commented on the agriculture and dairy sectors. “Good rains in the state have led to a favourable harvest, with an expected agricultural production of 149 lakh tonnes from the Kharif and Rabi seasons. The number of farmer suicides has decreased due to government welfare programmes.”
On the dairy industry, he said, “Karnataka has set a milk production record, with KMF collecting 1 crore litre per day, thanks to incentives to the dairy industry. The government has provided ₹1,500 crore in incentives to cattle farmers and continued the Anugraha scheme. In the current year, ₹26.60 crores in compensation has been given to farmers for cattle and livestock deaths.”
The Governor further mentioned that agriculture is undergoing many changes due to changing circumstances such as extreme weather conditions.
“There is a need to mechanise everything from sowing to harvesting. 194 high-tech harvest hubs are being established in this line. A 50 percent subsidy is being given to SC and ST farmers who get harvests, and a 40 percent subsidy is being given to others,” he added.
BJP State President BY Vijayendra, speaking with the media outside the assembly, said, “If you listen to the governor’s speech, you’ll realise the government has wasted his time as well. The speech begins with the claim that the city’s development is on the rise and that the government’s finances are improving. This is a clear lie concocted by the Congress government, forcing the governor to repeat it.”
“Throughout the entire speech, there is no mention of any actual developments. The language used in the speech is all about orders being given, matters being looked into, and things being established. Nowhere does it talk about completed developments or provide any statistics. Over the past two years, the Congress government has failed to deliver any significant development for the state.”
Demanding answers from the chief minister, Vijayendra said, “In the coming days, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah needs to give a detailed account of the developments his government has made. One thing is clear: in terms of development, this government’s nuts and bolts are rusted. There is a lack of progress, and this was evident in the governor’s speech.”
“On one hand, they announced schemes for dairy farming and providing cows, but there are still many announced schemes they haven’t funded or looked into. Today, they discussed allocating 90 thousand crores for ecological balance, but how much have they reserved and how much have they spent in the past two years? They need to show us those statistics.”
He added, “They are not concerned with any real development. The situation is such that soon the poor will be on the streets, as there are no plans for development in the coming days. It’s clear they made the governor lie in his speech.”
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio, is scheduled to present the state’s Budget 2025-26 on 7 March.
(Edited by Sumavarsha).
