BENGALURU: The state budget to be presented by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday is likely to have many populist schemes as the state is going to Assembly polls in April/May this year. It will be the last budget of the government for this term.
Highly-placed sources in the government told The New Indian Express that it will be a full budget, but the CM will seek a vote on account approval. In an election year, a government seeks a vote on account instead of presenting a full budget because if the government changes after elections it should have the right to present its own budget for the remaining part of the year.
“In Karnataka, there has been no precedence of an interim budget. So, it’s always a full budget. Another option is to have a short session and take a vote on account approval for four months and then have more discussions and pass it for the full year. Or get the budget passed for the entire year in one go,” an official said. This will be the second budget to be presented by the chief minister, who also holds the finance portfolio.
As Bommai is from North Karnataka, he is expected to allocate more funds for the development of Kalyana Karnataka and Kittur Karnataka region along with Bengaluru and old Mysuru region, where BJP is eying more seats.
The recent Union Budget had allocated Rs 1.25 lakh crore for farmers. It also set aside Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project (UKP) which will help irrigate land in central Karnataka. Bommai too hinted that his budget will be agriculture-centric. Education and health sectors are also likely to get a fair share.