Farmers' issue, job creation top Rajasthan govt agenda: Pilot
Jaipur, Dec 25 (PTI) Having announced loan wavier for farmers, the Rajasthan government will soon roll out some other measures to enhance the ecosystem for the farming community and for the youth in need of jobs, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot said.
He said farmers' issues and job creation for youngsters will dominate the agenda of the new Congress government in the state.
Pilot, after the formation of the Rajasthan Cabinet, said work has begun and the government will start delivering on the promises made in the party's election manifesto.
"We have started working from the very first day by announcing farm loan waiver. Agrarian crisis is on the top of the agenda and very soon, there will be quick and substantive steps by the government to enhance the ecosystem for farming community to make sure that farming becomes a profitable venture," Pilot told PTI.
"We will very soon start job creation on priority basis. These are the two issues which we will be going to be principally focused on because Rajasthan deserves a government that delivers on these two fronts," he said.
The deputy chief minister said the manifesto will be given to the chief secretary, like previous times, and it will be made an official document for the government to function.
"The policy promises the Congress party has made will become a firm official commitment as we move forward," he said.
The loan waiver for farmers was announced by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on December 19, two days after taking oath.
According to a government order, farmers' entire short-term crop loan from cooperative banks and agriculture loans up to Rs two lakh from nationalised and other banks have been waived, putting a burden of Rs 18,000 crore on the exchequer.
Asked about the availability of the financial resources to bear the burden, Pilot said the government was "capable" to face the challenge.
"Resource management is not a big deal if there is a political will. The previous UPA government had waived 72,000 crore of farmers' loan and we can also do it. So, I believe, the government is fully capable and equipped to deal with any challenge," he said.
Pilot, who is also the president of the party's state unit, said the announcement of loan waiver has not only helped farmers but also gave a message to them that the new government is ready to listen and redress their grievances.
Similarly for job creation, Pilot said, the work will begin and a system for continuous job creation and recruitment will be made.
"We have shown our commitment. The first decision was of loan waiver, which will be followed by other measures. Farmers and youths were never the priorities of the previous BJP government," he claimed.
Talking about the cabinet expansion held on Monday, Pilot said it was a balance between youths and experienced leaders and was an "energetic" cabinet.
"Ours is a forward looking, fully charged energetic cabinet in Rajasthan and the government is fully equipped to deal with the challenges and meet the expectations of people," he added.
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Karnataka new excise policy: Local liquor to get costlier, premium may get cheaper
Bengaluru: The state government on Monday rolled out a new excise policy that shifts from the decades-old bulk litre-based system to a model based on alcohol content in beverages, Deccan Herald reported.
Karnataka becomes the first state in India to adopt this model. The change is expected to make lower-priced liquor costlier, while some premium brands may see a reduction in prices.
A senior Excise Department official said: “The policy is being implemented from today (May 11). The Karnataka Excise (Excise Duty and Charges) (2nd Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified after a public consultation on a draft released on April 18, slashes the number of excise slabs from 16 to 8.”
Local liquor manufacturers have alleged that the policy favours multinational companies producing beer and spirits over domestic distilleries.
According to the Karnataka Brewers and Distillers Association (KBDA), the first five slabs, which cater to the common man, house the maximum number of state-owned distilleries and contribute nearly 70-75% of the state’s excise revenue, have seen their Additional Excise Duty (AED) rise by 20-30%.
In contrast, slabs 6 to 8, which include products from multinational companies such as United Spirits, Bacardi, Heineken, Carlsberg, and Anheuser-Busch, have seen AED reduced by 10-15%. The association said that while larger companies can absorb pricing shifts across their diverse portfolios, smaller regional distilleries limited to budget liquor may face volume contraction and potential closure.
A senior KBDA member said the price of a 180 ml bottle in the lowest slab, which was around Rs 63 last year, has already risen to Rs 80, and the new policy is set to push that price further to Rs 105 a jump driven by a 42.8% tax bracket.
