CM Bommai announces farmer-friendly schemes by raising loan term limits, agri subsidies
Karnataka budget
Bengaluru (PTI): Seeking to woo farmers in an election year, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday announced an increase in the limit of interest-free short-term loan given to farmers from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh from the coming financial year.
This would ensure availability of hassle-free and need-based loan facility for making necessary preparation for farm-related activities, Bommai, who also holds the finance portfolio, said presenting the 2023-34 budget in the state Legislative Assembly.
"This year, loan of Rs 25,000 crore will be distributed to more than 30 lakh farmers," he said.
The government, Bommai said, has decided to give an additional subsidy of Rs 10,000 in the year 2023-24 under a new scheme 'Bhoo Siri' for 'Kisan Credit Card' holders.
This would facilitate the farmers to purchase seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and other farm inputs in times of exigencies, the Chief Minister said.
The state would contribute Rs 2,500 and NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) would give Rs 7,500. "This will benefit around 50 lakh farmers of the state," he said.
Assembly elections in Karnataka are expected to be held during April-May.
The Chief Minister, in the budget, has also announced 'Shrama Shakthi' scheme that would provide financial assistance of Rs 500 per head every month to landless women farm labourers through direct benefit transfer (DBT).
Aimed at enabling all children who graduate from high schools to continue their higher education, he announced free education in Government Pre-University and Government Degree Colleges under 'CM Vidya Shakti Scheme'. This will benefit eight lakh students of the state, he added.
Noting that for the first time in the state, post COVID pandemic, revenue receipts are estimated to be more than revenue expenditure by Rs 402 crore, Bommai said this is a "revenue-surplus" budget.
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How can TN get funds if state always confronts Centre, asks AIADMK chief Palaniswami
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Thanjavur (PTI): AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami lashed out at the DMK government over fund flow to the state and remarked how it could be possible for the state to get funds when it intentionally confronted the central government.
Addressing a joint poll campaign with AMMK general secretary T T V Dhinakaran, a constituent of the AIADMK-led NDA in Tamil Nadu, Palaniswami on Saturday said political parties could have differences or criticise each other during elections but after the polls, the elected government should serve the people who voted them to power.
"How can TN get funds if the state government intentionally criticises the BJP? The DMK could not get funds when it shared power with the Congress at the Centre. Now it criticises the BJP, after failing to maintain harmonious ties with the Centre," the former chief minister said.
The DMK government could have obtained the funds required for the people had it maintained a cordial relationship with the Centre, he said.
But during the last five years of its rule, it had only denied the people the benefits they deserved, the AIADMK general secretary alleged.
"During the then Congress-led UPA regime, a DMK minister involved in the 2 G spectrum scam was jailed and another person who is now criticising me has also been in Tihar jail. She has no qualification to criticise me," he said and reminded that the 2 G spectrum case was still pending.
"The DMK is synonymous with scams. DMK is corruption and corruption is DMK, both are inseparable," Palaniswami alleged.
He flayed the DMK's alleged double standards on protecting the rights and interests of Tamil Nadu as it took up a joint poll campaign with Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who had stated that Karnataka would go ahead with the balancing reservoir project at Mekedatu.
Tamil Nadu has been opposing the project as it would affect the agriculture prospects in the state.
Dhinakaran, who addressed from atop the campaign vehicle, flanked by Palaniswami, said like "brothers", the two were garnering votes for the NDA candidates' victory.
He appealed to the people to oust the "evil DMK".
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