Karnataka's debt burden mounted to Rs 1.2 lakh crore: Congress

BANGALORE: The Congress in Karnataka today dismissed the state government's contention that its financial status is sound, wondering as to how it was possible when the state's debt burden mounted to Rs 1.2 lakh crore.

"The debt burden has gone up to Rs 1,20,000 crore now, from Rs 59,000 crore in 2005-06. How can they say the financial status is sound?" Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Siddramaiah, said.

He accused the BJP government, which is completing its five-year tenure this May, of going in for more-than-required loans.

Earlier today, in his customary address to the joint session of the Assembly on the opening day of the budget session, Governor H R Bhardwaj had said the government's financial status is very sound with tax revenues among the highest in the country, doubling in the past five years.

Siddaramaiah said in an election year the state government has made the Governor "tell only lies".

The Congress leader alleged the government has not addressed the drinking water shortage issue and that the statement of 4,593 MW of power generation capacity been added during the government's tenure was a "lie".

Siddaramaiah said only 40 per cent of the budget announcements of 2012-13 fiscal have been implemented during the December-January period.