GUARANTEES HAVE NOT DETERIORATED STATE'S FINANCES

Gehlot says state saw good milestones in every sector, while its income is up under Cong rule

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bengaluru

GOVERNOR Thaawarchand Gehlot, who addressed the joint budget legislature session on Monday, said that many had predicted that Karnataka would lag behind in development and its financial system would collapse because of its welfare schemes. But the government has proved these doomsayers wrong, he said.

The governor, reading from the text prepared by the state government, said the state has achieved good milestones in every sector, while the state's income is increasing under the Congress government. "I would like to proudly state that my government has succeeded in accelerating the pace of development of the state and strengthening the financial system of the government," he said.

The Karnataka model of development means creating people-centric economic, social and cultural governance, he added.

The state is receiving record private capital inflows and is second in foreign direct investment in the country, while the growth of GST collection is good. Out of 344 points announced in budget last year, the government has issued orders for 331, he added.