We are now repaying Congress govt’s pre-Covid debts, says CM Bommai

BENGALURU: Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s government has taken loans of Rs 2 lakh crore before Covid and now the government is repaying it. Not only that, a surplus budget for the upcoming fiscal year has been presented, Chief Minister Bommai, said, while slamming Congress leaders over their criticism of the budget, on Friday.

Commenting on Congress leaders’ flower protest during the budget presentation, the CM said taunted that they were all looking good with the Marigold flowers on their ears and added that the people of the state will put flowers on their ears in the Assembly election.

Addressing a press conference soon after the budget presentation, he said that there was a shortfall in revenue during the Covid pandemic. “Economic experts had predicted that it will require at least five years for economic recovery, but the state has recovered quickly. In the previous year, we had a budget deficit of Rs 16,600 crore, but this year, we have presented a surplus budget of Rs 402 crore for the fiscal year 2023-24”. “We have maintained fiscal discipline and, as a result , revenue collection has also increased”, he added.

Bommai said efficiency in governance and financial management is important. The government had implemented 90 per cent of the announcements made last fiscal and many works have been implemented while some of them are in progress, he stressted.

“Revenue collection has increased by 23 per cent. In the previous budget, we had said that we will secure loans of Rs 77,000 crore, but we took only Rs 66,000 crore in loans. This year, we have taken very less loans and we have been able to bring financial efficiency in our government. The state’s rate of economic development is 7.9 per cent”, he pointed out.

CM Basavaraj Bommai briefing the highlights of the budget to media persons at the press meet on Friday.

On the Opposition’s allegations that BJP did not fulfill its earlier promises, the CM said, “The allegations are not correct. All the projects are being implementing. The outlay of the budget was increased this year by up to Rs 43,462 crore, which is about 6 per cent. This was made possible due to financial efficiency. The fiscal deficit should not be exceed 3 per cent and the budget deficit is only 2.6 per cent”.

The CM further said, “New schemes have been introduced like raising the limit of interest free short-term loan given to farmers from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh from this year, so that they need not rely on private financiers and Rs 10,000 subsidy will be given to Kisan Card holders”.

Life Insurance scheme has been launched for farmers and the deceased’s family will get Rs 2 lakh as insurance. A sum of Rs 3,500 crore grant for agriculture and Rs 25,000 crore has been allocated for irrigation projects, the Chief Minister noted.

The CM further said that has introduced concession in school fees at government colleges. In order to enable all the children who pass out of the high schools to continue their higher education, they will be provided with free education in Government Pre-University and Government Degree Colleges under ‘CM Vidya Shakti Scheme’. For dropouts, special training will be provided at ITIs, Diploma colleges and they will be provided stipend along with allowance. The Vidyasiri Yojana has been expanded to cover one lakh Other Backward Class students, he said.

About 1,000 private and government bus services will be provided for women and children, and gratuity will be provided for anganwadi/Asha workers and Librarians after their retirement. The daily allowance has been hike by Rs 100 for Home Guards, and Rs 7,651 crore has been received from the Union government for railway projects the CM said.

The government has also given priority to unemployed graduates. Free bus passes for girl students and women working in the organised sector and Rs 500 per month will be given to landless female farmers, he said. “We have taken measures for the construction of harbours and development of existing ones”, Bommai said.

The CM further added that the construction work on airports in Shivamogga and Vijayapura will be completed this year, and financial assistance has been provided for the Raichur airport project. Work on the Hassan airport will be completed in this year itself. A feasibility report has already been prepared for the construction of airports in Davanagere and Koppal districts, he added.

‘Kar Samadhana Scheme’ has been launched to settle tax disputes, the CM said.

On the revision of wages of government employees, Bommai said, “We have created a separate package of Rs 6,000 for them and we will take measures to implement the 7th Pay Commission report”.