Mixed reactions to Karnataka Budget

The maiden budget presented by finance minister Yediyurappa on Monday has evoked mixed response in North Karnataka. While there is disappointment over North Karnataka not getting the expected attention in the budget, people have hailed the efforts of the finance minister in his first venture.

Noted economist, former member of Planning Commission and founder director of Centre for Multi-Disciplinary Research P R Panchamukhi termed the budget an intelligent exercise and praised the finance minister for presenting a budget that depicted sincerity and seriousness.

Though the budget did not have a sharp focus on North Karnataka, it aimed at equity-orientation with specific focus on inter-community equity rather than inter-regional equity, Panchamukhi said.

Listing the plus points of the budget, he said the move to provide agriculture loan though co-operative societies at 4 per cent interest was an interesting move.

Regarding the finance minister's desire that the Nabard should participate in helping the farmers, Panchamukhi said it should be seen to what extent Nabard responds to this.

Though the finance minister mentioned in his Budget speech the Nanjundappa Committee?s report on correcting regional imbalance, he has not made any visible provisions for North Karnataka in the Budget, Panchamukhi noted.

He said there was greater focus on Shimoga district though the budget mentioned about Hubli-Dharwad, Belgaum and Bagalkot. Panchamukhi welcomed the incentives provided to girls to pursue education and termed it as an innovative measure.

Renowned economist and principal of Karnatak Arts College Dr N G Chachadi said the Budget as rural development oriented and pro-poor.

Hailing the provisions made for empowering the women, he said the finance minister had expressed concern for the hitherto neglected sections like weavers, fishermen, small and marginal farmers.

He said the Budget was a gift to the rural mass and poor people during the Suvarna Karnataka year. Subsidy to sprinkler irrigation, reduction of taxes on essential commodities, Bhagya Lakshmi and increase in allocation to irrigation by 44 per cent were all aimed at helping the rural Karnataka.

Chachadi was however sour that the Budget did not have anything to offer to North Karnatak despite mentioning Nanjundappa Committee?s recommendations.

Chairman of Karnatak Vikas Grameena Bank B S Surendra however expressed satisfaction that there were provisions for development of backward regions in North Karnatak. He welcomed the various provisions made for agriculture sector and opined that they would help the rural mass immensely. He termed the budget as a farsighted exercise and said it would boost the rural economy.