BSY will walk fine line with farm-focused budget

Apart from the budget preparations, the CM is also currently caught up with developments related to ministry expansion.
Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa  (File photo | EPS)
Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa (File photo | EPS)

SHIVAMOGGA: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday said his budget will have special emphasis on the farm sector. “A full-fledged budget will be presented on March 5 with special focus on the farming sector and impetus will be given to development of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Communities, “ Yediyurappa told reporters at his hometown Shikaripura.

Though the CM did not give any details about his plans for the agriculture or other sectors, he said preparations for the budget are already underway and it will take final shape by the last week of February. In the last few weeks, the CM has held several rounds of consultations with senior officers from various departments and experts. He had recently held a meeting with senior officers from various departments to review tax collections and had directed them to take steps to shore up revenues.

Sources said with the slowdown impacting revenue collection in core sectors, it will be a tightrope walk for Yediyurappa. While the CM is said to be keen on giving a push for ongoing irrigation projects as well as taking measures to double farmers’ incomes, the State Government also has to make financial allocations for the farm loan waiver scheme announced by the JDS-Congress coalition government, apart from taking up relief works in the flood-hit districts of North Karnataka. In his last tenure as CM, Yediyurappa had presented a separate Agriculture budget, but that practice was discontinued later.
On Wednesday, the CM said that apart from the farm sector, his budget will also provide grants for development and welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs.Apart from the budget preparations, the CM is also currently caught up with developments related to ministry expansion.

Yediyurappa on Wednesday reiterated that the cabinet expansion will be taken up after consultation with party national president Amit Shah, who will be in Hubballi on January 18 to address an awareness rally on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). 

First budget of new BJP govt
This will the first budget of the BSY government after coming to power in July last year. The CM, who holds the Finance portfolio, will present the budget. He is likely to resume his budget-related meetings after his return from Davos

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