Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the state budget is likely to be presented in the second week of March. "The assessment of state's schemes will begin from February 15. During a review meeting on Sunday, we urged officers to work harder to ensure that the programmes of the state reached the people without any delay. We have asked them to deliver the benefits of these schemes at the doorsteps of the poor," he said. "Deputy commissioners have Rs 247 crore in their accounts to handle drought, provide drinking water to the people and fodder to the cattle. Under the NREGA scheme, we have achieved 10 crore man days as against six crore man days last year. We have spent more than Rs 298 crore of SDR funds and another Rs 200 crore of state funds to tackle drought. While we submitted the memorandum for drought relief funds on October 27, it has already been delayed enough. We hope that they will release Rs 1,782 crore which they have announced," Mr Siddaramaiah said.
