Siddaramaiah allocates Rs. 52,000 crore for implementing five guarantees
grants 45,000 crores for Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday presented Budget 2023 in the Karnataka Assembly and allocated a significant budget of Rs. 52,000 crore for the implementation of five key schemes promised by the Congress party during elections. Out of these schemes, the government has successfully rolled out the 'Shakti' and 'Gruha Jyothi' initiatives. The aim of these programs is to uplift the lives of the poor and provide them with essential resources and opportunities.
In particular, Siddaramaiah has allocated Rs. 45,000 crore exclusively for the development of Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka. This fund will be utilized for various projects such as the white topping of roads, road infrastructure enhancement, waste management systems, and the expansion of the Metro network. With the objective of improving traffic conditions and increasing Metro connectivity, an impressive sum of Rs. 30,000 crore has been allocated specifically for the Namma Metro project in Bengaluru.
The government has also announced a provision of Rs. 100 crore for the establishment and functioning of Indira canteens, which aim to provide affordable meals to the underprivileged sections of society. Additionally, in a commendable move, the government has introduced a life and accident insurance scheme worth Rs. 4 lakh for employees working in the e-commerce delivery sector, including those associated with platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, and Amazon.
In order to generate additional revenue for the state, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has increased the excise duty on Indian-made liquor by 20 percent. This includes a 10 percent hike in the excise duty on beer, raising it from 175 percent to 185 percent.
Addressing the opposition's criticism of the government's initiatives, Siddaramaiah emphasized the importance of understanding the positive impact these schemes have on the lives of the state's impoverished citizens. He urged critics not to demean the people's welfare programs by labeling them as "freebies."
Siddaramaiah also expressed his disappointment with the Union government, accusing it of withholding the rightful share of taxes and recommended funds that should have been allocated to Karnataka under the 15th finance commission. He highlighted the issue of the Union government not sharing cess and surcharge with the states, resulting in a significant reduction in the tax share received by state governments. Siddaramaiah estimated that approximately Rs 5.20 lakh crore has been withheld by the Union government through cess and surcharge.
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Karnataka bypolls: Over 60 per cent voter turnout in Bagalkot, Davanagere South till 5 pm
Bengaluru (PTI): Over 60 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in both Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, where bypolls were held on Thursday.
While the turnout in Bagalkot was 65.68 per cent, it was 63.04 per cent in Davanagere South.
While the ruling Congress faces the challenge of retaining both seats, the BJP aims to wrest them and deliver a setback to its rival, which is currently witnessing an "internal power struggle" over leadership.
The bypolls were necessitated due to the demise of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti (Bagalkot) and Shamanur Shivashankarappa (Davanagere South).
A total of over 2.59 lakh eligible voters are expected to cast their votes at around 319 polling stations in Bagalkot, where nine candidates are in the fray.
In Davanagere South, over 2.31 lakh eligible voters are expected to vote across 284 polling stations, with 25 candidates contesting.
The BJP has fielded former MLA and 2023 defeated candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath from Bagalkot, and a fresh face, Srinivas T Dasakariyappa, from Davanagere South.
The Congress has given tickets to family members of the late legislators in both constituencies. Bagalkot candidate Umesh Meti is the son of H Y Meti, while Samarth Mallikarjun from Davanagere South is the grandson of Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
