Bengaluru, Aug. 21 -- The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has raised concerns over Karnataka's financial health, pointing to the burden created by the state government's five guarantee schemes. The audit, tabled in the Legislative Assembly this week, shows that these programmes accounted for 15 % of the state's revenue expenditure in 2023-24, forcing an increase in borrowings and reducing investments in long-term infrastructure projects.

The schemes - Gruha Lakshmi, Gruha Jyothi, Anna Bhagya, Shakti, and Yuva Nidhi - were allocated Rs.36,537.96 crore for the financial year, with almost the entire amount utilised. Gruha Lakshmi, which provides Rs.2,000 per month to women heads of families, was the largest in terms of expend...