Karnataka Plan outlay up 26%

With a buoyant revenue, the Karnataka government has increased the financial support to the planned sector in its budget for 2006-07 by nearly 26 per cent. The plan outlay has been enhanced to Rs 1,61,66 crore from Rs 12,852.82 crore.

Presenting the state budget proposals in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, deputy chief minister B S Yediyurappa, who is also the finance minister, pointed out that core sectors like education, rural development, infrastructure and irrigation have witnessed a higher allocation as compared to the previous year.

"An adequate availability of resources is one of the most important prerequisite to launch planned activities for ameliorating the conditions of weaker sections and for other purposes," he noted.

Food security has been accorded top priority in the budget. A sum of Rs 720 crore has been earmarked for food subsidy.

The scheme will be made available to beneficiaries below the poverty line in the coming years. The plan outlay aimed at uplifting of weaker sections has been increased from Rs 439 crore to Rs 640.7 crore, an increase of 45 per cent, he explained.

Similarly, there is special emphasis on primary education. The allocation to primary education is Rs 4,460 crore, which is 12 per cent higher than the allocation in 2005-06, Yediyurappa stated.

Under the rural development sector, the state has transferred about 170 schemes to the district sector. The size of the district sector in 2006-07 has increased to Rs 2,354 crore as against Rs 2002 crore in 2005-06.

The deputy chief minister said that the budget focussed on tapping irrigation potential to its maximum. As many as 30 major irrigation projects are scheduled for completion this year.

The total allocation to irrigation works in 2006-07 is Rs 2,972 crore as compared to Rs 2,068 crore in 2005-06. Thus, the allocation to irrigation has witnessed an increase of 44 per cent.

Apart from the works taken up by the Krishna, Cauvery and Karnataka Neeravari Nigams, modernisation of Bhadra, Tungabhadra and Kalasa-Bandoori schemes are set for implementation this year.

Similarly, the allocation to minor irrigation is Rs 672 crore, 53 per cent over the previous year. The focus is on constructing tanks and protection, and development of existing irrigation tanks.

Yediyurappa said that public works too have received a big boost. The allocation for the sector is Rs 2,382 crore, which is 50 per cent more than that of the previous year. Of this, Rs 607 crore has been earmarked for repairs and maintenance of PWD roads. The increase is about 95 per cent over the previous year.

For construction and maintenance of PWD roads, Rs 50 lakh will be provided to each assembly constituency. Roads around Bangalore will be developed in the next three years at the cost of Rs 600 crore. The allocation for this in the 2006-07 budget is Rs 200 crore.

A weavers' package is also part of the budget support to the weaker sections. The power subsidy to powerlooms will be extended up to 20 HP capacity. Loans will be extended to weavers at an interest rate of 4 per cent.