CM SIDDARAMAIAH announces free LPG, universal health scheme in Budget

Bengaluru, Feb 16: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday has presented the budget and has announced schemes for universal health coverage, providing free LPG connections and mitigating miseries of dry land farmers.

The chief minister also said the implementation of the sixth pay commission for 5.93 lakh state government employees and 5.73 lakh pensioners would cost Rs 10,508 crore to the exchequer.

The commission recommended a 30 per cent hike in the salary structure and with increase in pay and other steps to increase productivity and efficiency, the government would be in a better position to implement its welfare measures, he said.

Siddaramaiah, who holds the finance portfolio, announced a scheme to waive loan of up to Rs one lakh taken by a farmer member from a primary agricultural credit cooperative society on his death.

No fresh levies were announced in the Budget, which proposed an increase in rates of additional excise duty on Indian-Made Liquor by eight per cent, depending on the slabs.