BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today presented his 13th budget as well as the 6th budget of the present Congress Government.
The Chief Minister addressed long-standing concerns of the urban population by allocating Rs 17,196 crore to the Urban Development Department, and promising a Japan-government assisted programme to improve traffic management in Bengaluru. As for sops for the poor, Siddaramaiah has pledged Rs 1,350 crore for free gas connections with twin-burner stove and two refills for 30 lakh beneficiaries, among other things.
Here are the highlights of the budget.
Karnataka Prison Development Board will be established to give skill training in various professions to prisoners.
Video linking system will be provided to all district prisons and courts for speedy disposal of pending trials.
Rs 5 crore for Cyber Forensic Laboratories to help Cyber police stations to effectively investigate and prevent cyber crime.
Direct recruitment in police department for the State's athletes who have had extraordinary achievements in the field of national and international level sports.
#SidduBudget2018 fellowship for Students working in field of Kannada software development
— Rashmi Belur (@RashmiBS_TNIE) February 16, 2018
Centre for excellence in designers to be established to promote designs of entrepreneurs and design products.
To promote hardware equipment and semi conductor chip design and development, semi-conductor fabless accelerator lab (SFAL) will be established with the association of India Electronic and Semiconductor Association.
To promote start ups in Karnataka, an incubation center will be established in Kalaburgi in association with the Deshapande foundation at the cost of Rs 5 crore.
Around 50 to 60 lakh sheep and goats are being slaughtered annually for meat in the state. For value addition to the skin of sheep and goat, skin processing and tanning center will be established at a cost of Rs 2 crore.
An amount of Rs. 7.5 crore will be spent for modernisation of 75 sheep/goat markets in the state by providing weighing machine, water facilities and sheep yard with wire fencing.
"Sheep and goat rearing is a profitable sub-occupation of farmers. Sheep rearing will be encouraged through financial assistance from National Co-operative Development Corporation. Government will give guarantee for Rs 187.5 crore loan to be given by NCDC," says Siddaramaiah.
To provide protection to about 4000 migratory shepherds and their sheep, grant of Rs. 4 crore will be provided for procurement of temporary tent, iron wire fencing and others.
On the lines of Delhi Haat, Mysuru Haat will be developed at Karnataka Exhibition Authority in Mysuru.
"Develop comprehensive tourism amenities in 20 heritage tourism destinations including Hampi, Beluru-Halebidu, Shravanabelagola, Nandi hills, Kalburgi," says Siddaramaiah.
Compensation paid on account of fire accidents caused to stacks of crop cuttings will be doubled to a maximum of Rs 20,000.
Use of hydrophonics technology will be promoted for growing of tomato, capsicum, brinjal and leafy vegetables in urban and peri-urban areas.
Exotic fruits like Rambutan, Durian, Dragon fruit, Litchi, Mangosteen, Apple Ber, Avocado to be given priority and promoted.
"Expenditure to state for this scheme will be Rs. 3,500 crore per year and 70 lakh farmers will benefit."
"For the first time in the state, a scheme 'Raitha Belaku' will be started to give direct income assistance to mitigate miseries of dryland farmers. Rs. 5,000 per hectare till Rs. 10,000 for each farmer will be given to those growing rain-fed crops."
"Agriculture is the priority sector of our Government. In each of my budgets, I have given a big share of state's income to agriculture," says Siddaramaiah.
"In the last 5 years, water shed development department has developed 10.96 lakh hectares of area at an expenditure of Rs. 1841 crore," says Siddaramaiah.
The state's consolidated fund size for 2017-18 was fixed at Rs 1,86,561 crore. This includes support of Rs. 89,957 crore.
Gross state domestic product in the year grew at the rate of 8.5% as against rate of 7.5% during 2016-17.
"Demonitisation shadowed the beginning of last year, because of it, our state's financial situation was impacted. GST came in the middle of the year."
"Our policies have been pathbreaking for the country. Kannadigas are proud of Karnataka and the country looks at our state with pride."
"I am not only a dreamer, I work to realize dreams. Karnataka today is one of the first states in the country in terms of development Interest free loans to farmers, Indira Canteens and many more schemes for people, says Siddaramaiah."
Frequent changes in the GST regime and glitches in the IT has affected tax collection, says Siddaramaiah.
It is a 1.62 lakh crore budget outlay. Earlier expectation was for Siddaramaiah to present an over 2 lakh crore budget.
"It is the beauty of democracy that a farmer's son is able to rise to present his 13th budget," says Siddaramaiah.
Today when I rise before the Legislature - our own Anubhava Mantapa - I picture the last person who needs a help, the farmer who needs hope & the girl who has a dream.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) February 16, 2018
In responding to their aspirations I am guided by Basavanna, Ambedkar & Gandhi.#NavaKarnatakaBudget2018
Rs 5 crore grant will be provided with 50% subsidy to develop and encourage new sugarcane breeds among farmers.
New scheme to replace conventional street lights with LED lights having Centralized Control & Monitoring System (CCMS) in all smart city/urban local bodies of Karnataka.
To reduce the escalating problem of solid waste management, power generation plants will be introduced in 4 divisions of the State.
Water supply connection will be made available to all individual households in ten cities during 2018-19.
Develop slums in the corporation areas by providing transfer of development rights and additional floor area with PPP model.
A scheme will be implemented at a cost of Rs 25 crore under 'Ambedkar Karmika Sahaya Hastha scheme', for issuance of smart cards along with contributory provident fund pension scheme to unorganized labourers.
A total amount of Rs 794 crore is allocated to Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Department.
"Our Government has been proactive by establishing 112 new Government Industrial Training Institutes which has enabled 10,770 additional candidates to get skill training and employment," says Siddaramaiah.
A total amount of Rs 3,882 Crore is provided to the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs.
Under "Mukhyamantri Anila Bhagya Yojana", free gas connection with twin burners stove and two refills will be given to 30 lakh beneficiaries with an expenditure of Rs 1,350 crore.
A total amount of Rs 14,268 Crore is provided to the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj.
It is proposed to digitise records and documents of Gram Panchayats and Rs 5 crore will be provided to implement it on pilot basis in selected Gram Panchayats in the current year.
Construction of hospitals in medical colleges of Gadag, Koppal, Chamarajanagar with an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore.
1000 buildings of Aanganwadis under SC sub plan and Tribal sub plan. Rs 20 crore earmarked for this.
100 mobile Anganwadi Centers/Creches in areas of working of construction labourers to take care of their children. Rs 10 crore earmarked.
Rs 100 crore for overall development of Budabudke, Golla, Helava, Gondali, Jogi, Shikkalgar, Dombidasa and other nomadic/semi nomadic tribes.
Rs 100 crore allotted for economic development of backward class communities of Savitha Samaja, Thigala, Madivala and Kumbara.
2000 candidates will be given special coaching to appear for IAS, KAS, Banking and other competitive examinations.
To empower landless Devadasis, priority will be given in sanctioning loan and subsidy under land purchase and Ganga Kalyana scheme.
Treated water from KR Puram sewage treatment plant to be diverted to fill 30 tanks in Hosakote at Rs 100 crore.
176 integrated schools in every Gram Panchayat have been opened. In this year, 100 integrated 'Karnataka Public Schools' will be opened at Rs 5 lakh per school. Bharat Scouts and Guides units will start in these schools.
Digital library facility to around 10 lakh students in Government high schools and PU Colleges. Rs 5 crore allotted.
One Athyuthama SDMC award in each taluk to best performing school development and management committee at Government primary and high schools.
"100 primary and high schools which have completed 100 years will be reorganized as Heritage Schools and will be renovated and protected," Siddaramaiah says.
Science committees to be started at all high schools and PU colleges and mobile science laboratories will be established in all districts in collaboration with Agasthya Foundation.
A total of Rs 22,350 crore outlay for Department of Primary and Secondary Education.
Small tree depots will be established at taluk or district centers to remove hurdles in the sale of trees grown by the farmers and to establish organized markets.
Mahakavi Kuvempu's Mysuru residence Udaya Ravi will be preserved and developed as National Poet Monument.
Pustaka Jatha will be organised in association with KSRTC to sell Kannada books at concessional rates.
11 new industrial townships at Koppal, Bellary, Yadgir, Dharwad, Tumakuru, Mysuru, Chamarajanagara, Bengaluru rural and Ramanagara districts.
A monthly pension of Rs 2000 for a period of 5 years will be given along with ex-gratia for Rs 5 lakh given to the family of a person killed by wild animals.
Creamy later income limit for availing reservation for backward classes enhanced from Rs 6 to Rs 8 lakh.
Route J P Nagar to K R Puram via Hebbal, Toll Gate to Kadabagere, Gottigere to Basavapura, R K Hedge Nagar to Aerospace Park, Kogilu Cross to Rajanakunte, Bommasandra to Attibele and Ibaluru to Karmelram will be taken up.
Irrigation schemes like filling of tanks of Rs 1,137 crore for Belagavi, schemes worth Rs 190 crore for Bagalkot, Rs 50 crore for Hassan.
750 backward class students to be sent to foreign universities for higher education in the next five years. 150 students in 2018-19.
Construction of sports hostel for women athletes in five districts of the state. A youth helpline will be established to provide education and employment related information to the youth.
Sericulture tourism on the Bengaluru-Mysuru corridor in collaboration with Central Silk Board. An international level 'live museum' will be established in the sericulture area of Channapatna.
"Propose to undertake bivoltine silk worm farming at 40 acres of land under Sericulture Deparment at BR Hills. Will develop mulberry tree agriculture, silk worm farming shed as well," says Siddaramaiah.
A silk museum will be developed at Talghattapura's Karnataka State Silk Research and Development Institute.
165 motorized and 460 country boats functional at Murdeshwara. For safe landing of these boats, an amount of Rs 1 crore given for preliminary study of outer harbour construction.
Services to be made faceless, cashless and paperless. Using the tools, citizens can submit applications for availing service to any of the citizen service centres.
Government to upgrade Sakaala 2.0 using the modern e-governance tools like e-sing, digital locker etc.
Rs 200 crore allocated for Christian community. Programmes for comprehensive development of Jain and Sikh communities at Rs 80 crore. Diversity and Minority study chair at Bengaluru Central University.
Subject to electricity supply limits and conditions, electricity consumption expenses of 7 hours per day will be reimbursed to consumers in respect of private HT and LT community to lift irrigation units of co-operative societies of members with a capacity of 10 HP and less.
Total outlay of Rs 15,998 crore to Water Resources Department.
