Union Budget charts confident path to Viksit Bharat despite tariff-trade wars: K’taka BJP chief
Shivamogga: Appreciating the Union Budget 2026-27, Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra stated that the budget helps the country to march confidently towards a developed India by 2047 without fear of tariff-trade wars. He also stated that the Centre has increased the state’s tax share.
Speaking to the media here on Monday in Shivamogga, Vijayendra stated that the global situation also needs to be taken into account, adding that despite tariff and trade challenges posed by US President Donald Trump, the Finance Minister has introduced several reforms aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of steering the country towards becoming a developed India by 2047.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday presented her ninth Budget, which has received widespread appreciation across the country for being an excellent one aimed at Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Vijayendra said the Finance Minister has once again demonstrated a shift from ambiguity to clarity, from extravagance to reform, and reaffirmed that public interest matters more than populism.
He lauded the Budget for prioritising sectors such as industry, tourism, semiconductors, artificial intelligence and agriculture. Emphasising the importance of fiscal discipline, Vijayendra said bringing the fiscal deficit down to 4.4 per cent reflects the Finance Minister’s commitment to sound economic management.
Vijayendra said Karnataka has a large number of coconut growers, as well as cashew, cocoa, fisheries and sandalwood producers, and the Budget provides significant benefits to these sectors, which is highly welcome.
He said that ever since the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government came to power over the past two-and-a-half years, the Centre has been repeatedly criticised without basis.
He said the 16th Finance Commission has announced a 10 per cent improvement based on GDP contribution, resulting in Karnataka’s share of central taxes increasing from 3.65 per cent to 4.13 per cent. This will fetch an additional Rs 7,387 crore to the state every year and Rs 63,050 crore over five years, he said.
Vijayendra said that before 2014, when the UPA government was in power, only about Rs 2 lakh crore was allocated annually for infrastructure development. However, after the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office, Rs 12 lakh crore has been allocated for infrastructure. In the Budget presented on Sunday, this has been further increased to Rs 12.2 lakh crore, which he described as a revolutionary decision.
He said higher allocations have been made for roads, railways, ports and airports, which would significantly contribute to putting the country on a fast track to development.
Vijayendra said the Budget has taken a bold step towards doubling farmers’ income by providing a six per cent increase in financial allocation to the food, commerce and fisheries sectors. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently emphasised that for the country to develop, priority must be given to the poor, farmers, women and youth.
In line with this vision, the Finance Minister has promoted women entrepreneurship and employment through initiatives such as ‘She Mart’ to help women establish enterprises and come to the forefront of society, he said.
Vijayendra said the Budget has emphasised women’s education by announcing the establishment of a women’s hostel in every district. Treating higher education as a priority sector, the Budget has increased financial support by 13 per cent, which he termed welcome.
He also noted the announcement of high-speed rail corridors, particularly the Hyderabad-Bengaluru and Chennai-Bengaluru routes, which would attract more industries to Bengaluru — the city that contributes the highest tax revenue. The state BJP chief said the Budget gives priority to youth, women and farmers and was in line with the goal of a developed India.