Karnataka Budget 2018: Dry-land farmers,Tax compliance,Welfare schemes

Bengaluru, Feb 16: The Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced Rs 2,500 crore budgetary fund for 2018-19 for Bengaluru's infrastructure development.

Dry-land farmers

Siddaramaiah also unveiled 'Raitha Belaku', a scheme to give direct income assistance to dry land farmers.

Under the scheme, Rs 5,000 per hectare, subject to a maximum of Rs 10,000, would be provided to each farmer growing rain-fed crops with the money being directly transferred into farmers' bank accounts.

Expected to benefit around 70 lakh farmers, is cost the state Rs 3,500 crore every year.

On GST, Siddaramaiah said due to implementation problems in the initial months, systematic analysis of data and rigorous enforcement activities could not be undertaken.

Tax compliance

However, implementation of the Karnataka model of e-way bill in the entire country is expected to bring about qualitative change in tax compliance and streamline GST collection across the country.

Asserting that the state government was committed to the comprehensive development of Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said necessary action would be taken to prepare a project report for 105.55 km line under the Bengaluru Metro Phase-3.

With this, the total length of Bengaluru metro rail, including all phases, will expand to 266 km.

To manage goods and passenger transport more efficiently and quickly, and to reduce the density of road traffic, a feasibility study will be undertaken for the implementation of "Roll-on and Roll-off" multi-modal logistic park and sea plane services under PPP mode, he said.

With elections due early this year, Siddaramaiah sought vote-on-account up to July 31, 2018.

Welfare schemes

Stressing his government's focus on welfare schemes, he said: "Today, there is no situation in the state where any person goes to bed with hunger," and described his government as "farmer-friendly".

"I am not an expert who has made a scholarly study of economics. There is no knowledge greater than experience," said Siddaramaiah,

His leadership is being projected by the Congress for the coming assembly polls, where he is facing a fierce fight from BJP, which is raring to return to power.

The state budget is his record 13th in more than 35 years of his political career, and sixth in a row as chief minister.