Shivakumar blames earlier BJP administrations for Karnataka finance advisory

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has blamed alleged financial mismanagement by previous BJP governments for a recent advisory issued by the State Finance Department. Speaking to reporters at the KHB helipad in Hanur, in Chamarajanagar district, on Wednesday, Mr Shivakumar said several projects had been undertaken during former Chief Minister B.S.

Yediyurappa’s tenure without adequate budgetary allocations. He was responding to questions about the Finance Department’s communication and contractors’ claims that payments exceeding ₹30,000 crore remained outstanding. Mr Shivakumar said works awarded during Mr Yediyurappa’s tenure were nearing completion and that the associated bills had to be cleared.

“The contractors have to survive,” he said, adding that he would look into the matter shortly. His comments followed a wider political dispute over the State’s finances, with the BJP accusing the government of financial mismanagement and delayed payments. The Chief Minister was also asked about an allegation by the president of the State Contractors’ Association that contractors continued to be asked to pay percentage commissions.

Mr Shivakumar said an inquiry would be ordered if the association submitted an affidavit detailing the allegation. He did not provide a timetable for examining the reported unpaid bills or say how the government would address the contractors’ claims. The source material also does not include a response from the BJP to his attribution of the financial problems to its previous administrations.

Mr Shivakumar separately addressed reports that beneficiaries were being asked to provide caste certificates during re-verification under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme. He said the government had prepared a new application intended to prevent people from other States from accessing the scheme in Karnataka. The Chief Minister’s remarks place responsibility for the Finance Department advisory and outstanding project bills on decisions taken by earlier BJP governments, while indicating that his administration will review the payment and commission-related allegations.