NavaKarnatakaBudget2018 claims to favor poor; emphasizes organic farming, women safety, education
Bengaluru, February 16: Karnataka Budget 2018 was rolled out today by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. As this was his 13th Budget as Chief Minister and Finance Minister, he continued saying that "Looking forward to presenting my 13th Budget as CM/FM. It has been a great journey of 4 decades as a farmer’s leader, as a Kannada Activitist, as a Minister, as a Leader of Opposition & as CM. Have changed policy in favour of the poor. There is more to do. In the past 5 years, our Govt has taken forward the state’s legacy of growth & enterprise, while also fulfilling the needs & aspirations of all our citizens. This year too, we are committed to taking this forward with the #NavaKarnatakaBudget2018."
Agriculture
Karnataka Budget 2018 promises to empower farmers, especially 70 lakh dry land farmers across Karnataka with economic independence! Raita Belaku programme will be the nation’s biggest programme in terms of area covered & no. of farmers impacted. Also Rs 1 lakh to be waived upon farmers’ death
Also Rs 5849 Crores are allocated for the agricultural sector. A new agricultural college will also be set up in Chamrajanagar, Rs 845 Crores has been allocated under Karnataka Raitha Surkasha Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana. Rs 50 Crores has been embarked for organic farming.
Education
Rs 26,846 have been allocated for the education. The allocation is 20% higher than the last year. Apart from this, infrastructural development like CCTV cameras, hostels, and digital library will be made available. Rs 95 Crores have also been allocated to provide free higher education to girls of the pre-university course, degree and post-graduation courses in government colleges.
100 Karnataka Public Schools at Gram Panchayat Level to be set up at a cost of Rs 5 Crores. Government schools that are completing 100 years will be declared as Heriatge schools. The state government is also planning to set up transit hostels for women coming to the state capital in order to ease their lives in the city.
CM Siddaramaiah also announced fellowships for students working with Kannada software development and Kannada software research to promote Kannada language.
Rs 10 Crores will be provided by the state government to facilitate digital learning. Multimedia computer labs will be set up in public private partnership. Loans under Udyogini scheme have been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.
Reservation of 25% of seats will be provided in Post-Matric Hostel for Backward Classes and minority students. Rs 300 Crores grant have also been announced for the development of Soliga, Junukuruba, Kadukuruba and other communities in the state.
Health
Universal Health Coverage scheme ‘Aarogya Karnataka’ will be implemented in February 2018. Apart from this, 9,000 sub-centers will be upgraded as health and wellness centers over a period of seven years. A 1000-bedded additional ward will be set up at the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute. Hospital buildings to be constructed in Gadag, Koppal and Chamrajnagar Medical college.
All district hospitals will be certified under National Accreditation Board for Hospitals in order to boost up the quality.
Environment
Rs 1,949 Crores has been announced for the environment sector. Rs 10 Crores announced for watershed management. In order to keep a tab on the growing pollution in the state, 42 air quality monitoring stations will be set up.
Women and Children
The Women and Child department has been allocated Rs 5,371 Crores. Gender sensitivity training will be imparted to government employees, students in order to develop safer spaces for women. 250 new anganwadi centres and 100 mobile anganwadi centres will be set up soon.
Housing
Housing has been allocated Rs 3,941 Crores. 2,000 acre in Bengaluru, 250 acres in TMC, 500 acres in Mahanagar Palkis and 100 acres in other towns will be reserved to extend the Chief Minister's Urban Housing scheme. DISHA scheme to be extended to all parts of the state to train 1 lakh entrepreneurs at a cost of Rs 2 Crores.
Power and Gas connections
Under the Mukhyamantri Anila Bhagya Yojana, the state government will provide free gas connection with twin burners stove and two refills to around 30 lakh people. Rs 1350 Crores have been allocated to Mukhyamantri Anila Bhagya Yojane aims to benefit 30 lakh people by providing a gas connection. Under the scheme, a gas connection with two burner gas stove and two refill cylinders are to be provided free of cost.
Rs 14,136 Crores has been allocated to the energy department. Atleast 35 power sub-stations will be initiated to strengthen the power network in the area.
Infrastructure
To combat traffic clogging, Japanese technology will be roped in for tarffic managememt in Bengaluru. Apart from this, multi-storey car parks will be set up at Gandhinagar, Koramanagala 4th stage, Jayanagara complex under Public-Private partnership. Development of 88 lakes will be taken up by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
E-Kshana Scheme for online certificates of caste, residence and income to be extended to all the districts of the state. Samyojane app will be developed for revenue department services. Aadhaar Sangrahane will be developed to collect Aadhaar numbers.
Detailed Project Report of Bengaluru's Namma Metro will be launched soon. Once completed, the total length of the metro will be 266 kms and will become a ring rail network in the city, CM added.
In the next 5 years, the police department will see a 25% rise in the number of women workforce. Toilets will be constructed in all the police stations. The women police stations in district headquarters will be upgraded as one-stop service centres.
Cyber forensic laboratories will be established in order to prevent cybercrimes. Nirbhaya Kendras will be established in all the police commissioner’s offices.
Free bus passes for students have been announced by the CM. In order to promote more women drivers under BMTC, 1,000 women will be provided training. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation KSRTC to get 10 double-decker buses for inter-city operations.
Grant of Rs 150 Crores has been allocated for Road Safety Works under various schemes to reduce road accidents.
Rs 5 Crores allocated for development of start-ups in Kalaburagi along with Deshpande foundation. Karnataka Innovation Authority will be established under the leadership of CM. Multi-modal logistic park will be set up in an area of 400 acres near Bengaluru and in an area of 50 acres at Hubballi.
The government in the annual budget has announced for a world-class sub-urban rail connectivity to Namma Bengaluru, a special purpose vehicle for the project will soon be set up.
Centre for Excellence in Design is to be set up for designing products and enterprises. Meanwhile, for skill upgradation, a special program for women in IT sector will also be launched.
Tourism
Tourism sector has been given Rs 459 Crores. ‘Kalaburagi Kalavana’ has been proposed to promote the culture of the state. 20 heritage tourism destinations to be developed. House boats and floating canteens to come up at select tourist places in coastal Karnataka.
Wrapping up the Budget, CM Siddaramaiah said that "Today when I rise before the Legislature - our own Anubhava Mantapa - I picture the last person who needs a help, the farmer who needs hope & the girl who has a dream."