Karnataka Budget: Siddaramaiah's Jaitley act today?

Bengaluru: Economists are anticipating special focus on agriculture, rural development, employment generation and improvement of healthcare facilities in the budget scheduled for presentation by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday. Expressing their concern over stagnant growth in agriculture sector following two successive droughts, the economists are keen that Mr Siddaramaiah focuses on credit policy and sops for farmers to improve the agrarian economy. Besides, they have urged Mr Siddaramaiah to improve facilities in sectors such as education, healthcare and employment generation in order to migration of rural population to urban areas. “Such migration has impacted urban governance by way of providing civic amenities to the population.”

Prof Abdul Aziz, former head, Department of Economics, Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru told Deccan Chronicle that Karnataka, like other states, had suffered stagnant agriculture production in recent times due to inadequate supply of agriculture inputs and delay in distributing it to farmers. The Union Government, in its recent budget, has stressed on doubling the agriculture income in the next few years. The state budget must complement the Union government on the steps to achieve this endeavor from its side. Already, over 1,100 farmers have committed suicide in Karnataka and need of the hour is to boost their morale by extending the maximum support to farm sector. The government must come out with schemes to support farmers of Gulbarga to grow pulses especially tur dal to ensure them good returns. Adopting 'Providing Amenities in Rural Areas' (PURA) model coined by former president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam which would help bridge the urban-rural gap. Backward regions need more attention in the field of education, healthcare and farming, he added.

Dr T Somashekar, professor, National Law School of India University, said “Mr Siddaramaiah’s budget must primarily focus on agriculture and provide a permanent solution. Taking a cue from the Union Government, the state government must extend its helping hand to agriculture sector and waive interest on crop loans. Presently, farmers are subjected to lot of risks due to sudden fall in prices of agricultural produce or loss of crop due to drought or excessive rain. A crop insurance scheme must be evolved to provide succor in the event of crop loss. Besides, the private sector could be involved in agriculture to help farmers to get a decent income. “I am expecting Mr Siddaramaiah to earmark more funds for improvement of infrastructure in Bengaluru,” he added.

Prof R S Deshpande, national fellow, Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Bengaluru, suggested that the state government do away with populist schemes like 'Anna Bhagya' and instead offer employment to help poor people earn their livelihood. He sought to know for how many years the government would continue to provide rice free to poor people. "You give them an opportunity to grow or grow to survive".

On State's borrowing crossing Rs 2 lakh crore, Prof Deshpande said it was quite an alarming situation which needs to be controlled through fiscal management. The government might reach such a situation that it has to borrow fresh loan to pay old debts. Interest on loan has to be provisioned in budget. "The CM must apply brakes on unnecessary expenditure and streamline the finance department which lacks financial discipline,” he added.

Mr Kurubur Shanthkumar, president, Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers' Association, urged the government to come out with a new crop loan policy and to waive agriculture loan borrowed by farmers from nationalised and co-operative banks as one-time settlement. Besides, bankers must be directed to give loan on value of land owned by farmers. A permanent solution must be found to check farmers' suicide, he added.

73 per cent funds meant for SC welfare utilised in 2015-16: Anjaneya
The social welfare department has utilized 73 per cent of the amount allocated under Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCSP) scheme in 2015-16.

Addressing media persons here on Thursday, social welfare minister H. Anjaneya said after Act came into effect, utilization of the funds under SCSP scheme was increased. In 2015-16, total Rs 16,532 crores was allocated under SCSP scheme in the budget, of which Rs 12, 342 crores was released and Rs 8788 crores utilized, he added.

When Act came into effect last year, the government released Rs 14,191 crores to the department under SCSP scheme for various programmes and developmental works to benefit SCs and STs.The department has utilized Rs 13,244 crores, while the remaining Rs 1338 crores has been carried forward to this year, the minister explained.

Though neighboring Andhra Pradesh implemented the SCSP Act first, Karnataka effectively implemented the Act by utilizing maximum amount under this scheme, Mr. Anjaneya added.