Bengaluru, Aug. 22 -- 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 were allocated Rs.36,537.96 crore for the financial year, with almost the entire amount utilised. The report linked the implementation of these guarantees to a sharp increase in expenditure. The state's overall spending grew by 12.54 % compared to the previous year, while revenue growth stood at just 1.86%. This mismatch pushed the state back into a revenue deficit of Rs.9,271 crore. To manage the shortfall, the state government relied heavily on borrowings. Net market loans rose to Rs.63,000 crore in 2023-24, which was Rs.37,000 crore higher than the previous year. The CAG warned that such a steep increase in debt would place "a massive repayment burden in the near future" and aggravate the financial strain on the state. The report has triggered a political storm, with the opposition seizing on the findings to attack the Congress-led government. Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said the CAG's assessment confirmed Karnataka's "financial decline" under chief minister Siddaramaiah....