DyCM hails budget, but wants more

Karnataka deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah has termed the Union budget as growth-oriented.

He added that the state would have been happy if the issues raised by it, including special economic status for backward regions and prepayment of loans, were addressed.

Siddaramaiah, who will present his seventh budget on March 11 as finance minister, told reporters here that health, agriculture, primary education and irrigation had received more thrust in the budget which also saw a big jump in allocation for the employment guarantee scheme which were welcome.

The state was also happy with its inclusion, along with four other states, under the scheme to provide drinking water scheme to cover 1.26 lakh habitations, as also over the Bharat Nirman programme with six specific goals.

However, he said despite the state's plea for amending Article 371 of the Constitution for special economic status to backward regions in the state, it has not been considered.

Similarly, the state sought grant or interest-free loan under accelerated irrigation benefit programme and also pleaded for prepayment of loans borrowed from financial institutions such as LIC, Hudco and GIC to overcome the high debt costs but it had not been addressed.

The state's demand for powers to levy service tax had also not been considered, he said. Siddramaiah said attention had been paid to the metro rail project for Bangalore in the budget which had said it will be considered under urban infrastructure development.

"Overall, it is a good and growth-oriented budget. But it would have been good, had our demands been taken into account."