Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s seven popular schemes that he has implemented after taking over the reins of the government will cost the State exchequer a whopping of Rs. 5,806 crore.
This was disclosed by the Chief Minister himself in his written reply in the Legislative Council on Thursday to a question by Raghunath Rao Malkapure (BJP). Mr. Malkapure had sought details about the promises made by Mr. Siddaramaiah after assuming the office and the cost of implementing those promises.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said he had made seven promises in all. They include increasing incentive to milk producers from Rs. 2 to Rs. 4; the Re. 1-a-kg rice scheme to below poverty line families; waiver of loans taken by minority communities through the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation; waiver of loans to backward classes through the Devaraj Urs Backward Classes Development Corporation; waiver of loans to SC, ST through the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Development Corporation, Karnataka Valmiki Maharshi Scheduled Castes Development Corporation and Dr. Babu Jagjeevan Ram Leather Industries Corporation; waiver of power bill dues under the Bhagya and Kutir Jyoti schemes; and enhancing subsidy for various housing schemes for people from socially and economically weaker sections of society in rural and urban areas.
What’s the source?
To a question on how the schemes will be funded, Mr. Siddaramaiah said additional resource mobilisation is being carried out by the government, besides cutting unnecessary expenditure. The focus would be more on mobilising more funds through commercial taxes, excise duty, stamps and registration and motor vehicle taxes.
