BENGALURU: With an eye on Assembly polls, likely in May, and with just about two-and-a-half months left for his government’s current term to complete, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai presented the state budget on Friday as one last shot to woo large sections of the state’s electorate — farmers, women and youth.
The chief minister, who also holds the Finance portfolio, also added region-specific and religious thrusts for a wider outreach in the Rs 402 crore revenue surplus budget with an outlay of Rs 3,09,182 crore for the first time going above the Rs 3 lakh crore mark.
The budget also looks at children’s education. After the Vidyanidhi Scheme, this year, Bommai announced Vidya Shakti scheme wherein children passing out of high schools will be provided free education in Government Pre University and Government degree colleges to benefit eight lakh students across the state.
The total outlay of Rs 3.09 lakh crore includes revenue expenditure at Rs 2,25, 507 crore, capital expenditure at Rs 61,234 crore and loan repayment at 22,441 crore. The total liabilities is estimated at Rs 5,64,896 crore which is 24.20 per cent of the GSDP. “I am happy to inform you that all the parameters specified in the Karnataka Fiscal Responsibility Act 2002 have been attended to,” he said.
Bommai woos farmers with subsidies
State government is anticipating Rs 35,000 crore from Excise, which is Rs 6000 crore more than previous year, and Rs 10500 crore in the Transport department which is Rs 2500 crore than previous year target. Bommai said this year revenue target for the Commercial Tax department is Rs 92,000 crore (excluding GST compensation).
The CM wooed farmers by announcing financial subsidies and increasing the limit of interest- free loans from existing Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. He provided a sum of Rs 46,278 crore in the budget for women empowerment and welfare, including free bus passes for women working in organised sector, and skill development training for over one lakh women.
For the youth, Bommai wooed them with welfare schemes in education and employment sector. Bommai’s budget stressed on agriculture, irrigation and allied activities expected to help farmers to have stable incomes. He allocated Rs 39,031 crore for agriculture, irrigation and allied activities, which is Rs 4,000 crore more than previous year. He said the budget proposed an additional subsidy of Rs 10,000 under the new scheme ‘Bhoo Siri’ for Kisan Credit card holders.
“This would facilitate farmers to purchase seeds, fertilizer, pesticides and other farm inputs. The State will contribute Rs 2,500, while National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) would contribute the remaining Rs 7,500. This is expected to help over 50 lakh farmers,” he said.
On the budget proposal to increase the limit of interest-free short-term loans given to farmers from the existing Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, he said this year a sum of Rs 25,000 crore will be given to more than 30 lakh farmers. Bommai’s budget stressed on ‘Gruhini Shakthi Yojane’, wherein women from various sectors will be given financial and other assistance.
Under Shrama Shakthi, Rs 500 per month will be given to landless women farm labourers, training to one lakh women to start profitable homebased factories, and Rs 1,000 crore proposed for free bus passes to all women working in the organised sector, he said. Rs 46,278 crore has been proposed for women empowerment and Rs 47,256 crore for child welfare along with Rs 80,318 crore for welfare and inclusive growth sector.
The budget, for the first time, provides Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes youth with financial assistance of Rs 50,000 for purchase of electric operated three-wheeler goods vehicle under Babu Jagajeevanram Self Employment Scheme, and a subsidy of 50 % up to Rs 2 lakh will be provided for 100 beneficiaries in every assembly constituency. Rs 400 crore has been proposed for this.
For youth who have remained unemployed after school education, the budget, under a new scheme “‘Badukuva Daari”, proposed a monthly stipend of Rs 1,500 will be provided to obtain Job Oriented Certificate Training of 3 months duration in ITIs. A monthly Apprentice allowance of Rs.1,500 will be provided for three months to those completing the training.
Besides, youth who have remained unemployed three years after completing graduation, one time financial assistance of Rs 2,000 per person will be provided under a new scheme, ‘Yuvasnehi’. He also announced constructing Mega Rama Mandira at Ramadevara Betta in Ramanagara along with announcing Rs 1000 crore for renovation of temples and mutts over next two years.
Rs 500 for landless women farm labourers
Organic, holistic farming in one lakh hectares over next four years
IVF clinics will be opened in Bengaluru, Hubballi, Mysuru and Kalaburagi
1,000 lakes to be developed under Sahasra Sarovara scheme
10,000 sites will be distributed to economically weaker sections
Rs 1,000 crore to renovate temples and mutts over next two years
New mega textile parks at Raichur, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura and Chikkamagaluru and mini textile parks at 25 locations