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Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said he hoped there would not be any discrimination against the state in the union budget as Karnataka is one of the biggest financial contributors to the Centre.
Rao was responding to a question on expectations from the upcoming Union Budget on Sunday and said, "We thought they would at least change the attitude. Looks like they are going on in the same manner... Our wish is that the union government realizes that Karnataka is one of the biggest contributors to the central government. We are the second in contributions in GST and FDI. If they do discriminatory budgets like they have done earlier, it is going to affect them only. "Hopefully, this time they would be fair and not try to promote only the BJP-ruled states and see that equitable distribution of funds takes place...," he added. Apart from that, a meeting of the Central government with floor leaders of all political parties was held under the Chairmanship of Union Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh on Sunday, before the commencement of the Budget Session of Parliament. Rajnath welcomed all the leaders in the first meeting of the floor leaders of both Houses of Parliament after the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha. In total, the meeting was attended by fifty-five Leaders from forty-one political parties. In his opening address, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju informed that the Budget Session of Parliament will commence on July 22 and subject to exigencies of government business, the session may conclude on August 12. The Session will provide 16 sittings spread over 22 days. Rijiju also informed that this session will mainly be devoted to the financial business relating to the Union Budget for 2024-25 which will be presented to Lok Sabha on July 23. "However, essential legislative and other business will also be taken up during the session," Rijiju said. The Economic Survey of India will be laid on the table of the Houses of Parliament on Monday. The Budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for 2024 will also be presented on July 23. Tentatively six items of legislative business and three items of financial business have been identified for being taken up during this session. (ANI)
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