Bengaluru: Ahead of the Legislature session which commences on Monday, the co-ordination committee of the ruling Congress-Janata Dal(S) coalition on Sunday made major decisions, approving irrigation projects worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore and clearing the much touted farm loan waiver, while giving the nod for the draft report of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP).
With this, it has become pretty sure that the loan waiver will be announced in the state budget to be presented by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on July 5.
Briefing reporters here at the end of the meeting, JD(S) general secretary Danish Ali said the CMP has been agreed upon with minor changes and the entire document will be brought out in the form of a booklet. Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwar, Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal and Ali, attended the meeting, which was chaired by former CM Siddaramaiah.
The CMP has set targets like building 20 lakh new houses for the needy, formulation of a new sports policy and the creation of one crore jobs in the next five years.
"It will be a full-fledged budget, which will have all these. In addition, the previous Congress government's flagship programmes will continue.. We will raise the funds needed by maintaining fiscal discipline," Ali said. To a query on the cut-off date for farm loan waiver, he said, "I think it will be better if you wait for another three days.
In the budget speech, the chief minister will reveal it." On the appointment of chairpersons of various state-run boards and corporations, he said the matter was discussed and the list exchanged and it would be finalised on Monday.
He denied reports that there were differences between Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and former chief minister Siddaramaiah and alleged that these were created by some vested interests. "If you ask me, it is unethical to release anything which is being discussed privately among some individuals," he said apparently referring to video footage in which Siddaramaiah is purportedly seen saying that the new government may not last for more than a year and may come down soon after the Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, asserting that the coalition government was stable, AICC General Secretary in charge of Karnataka K.C. Venugopal said there would be a single chief whip for the government. "The coordination committee meeting went on smoothly. Mr Kumaraswamy will present the budget and the cabinet will be expanded soon," he said.
