Haveri: Former Chief Minister and MP Basavaraj Bommai on Friday sought to know what development can be achieved by pushing people into hardship? Besides, there is a significant amount of leakage in GST, and if plugged, it will bring substantial revenue.
Speaking to the media here, he highlighted that price hikes lead to increased inflation, burdening the common people and escalating expenses. It was a paradox to claim that development can be achieved under such circumstances. The current financial system is in shambles, not just due to the guarantees but also due to substantial leakage in GST especially in areca nut trade, plastic trade, and scrap trade. It was not known why Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was silent on this issue
The former CM felt that proper financial management can generate significant revenue without imposing additional taxes on petrol and diesel. Such as, tightening administration, reforming governance, consolidating resources, and prioritizing projects based on necessity and timing. Instead of taking these measures, the government is opting for the simpler route of collecting taxes from the public and distributing them, thereby adopting an easy path of imposing more taxes on the people.
He accused the government of neglecting the direction of productive administration that focuses on hard work, resource generation, and efficient management.
Continue the Guarantees
The former CM said that the state government came to power by promising guarantees. The government must not stop the guarantees, as they are meant for the poor and should be continued. Along with this, he insisted on consolidating resources to also ensure the state’s development. If a special resources are consolidated for the guarantees, he would commend the Chief Minister . However, merely increasing taxes on people without ensuring development was not the right approach.
