State budget likely on March 9
Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda will cancel all his scheduled engagements for a month in the run-up to the State budget.
“I will interact with industrialists and trade bodies at the divisional level. Meetings will be held with representatives of every department. I propose to present the budget in the second week of March,” Gowda said here on Friday.
The chief minister was here to take part in the ‘Hindu Shakti Sangama,’ organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Gowda said he will also consider the suggestions on the budget that may come up during the Assembly session to be held from January 30 to February 10.
When asked whether he would present the budget, Gowda said emphatically that there was no reason for such doubt.
“I really don’t know the reason for such a doubt. I have been making preparations to present the budget,” he added.
Refusing to answer any question on the leadership dispute in the BJP, the chief minister, who was in the ‘Gana Vesha’ (RSS uniform) said he had come to take part in the event as an RSS worker.
Ministers Suresh Kumar, Jagadish Shettar, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Lok Sabha members Prahlad Joshi and Ananthkumar Hegde were present.
Agriculture budget
Like last year, the finance department is getting ready to present a separate budget for agriculture, this year too.
But there is no instruction from the chief minister to prepare a separate budget for youths as promised by him in the recent national youth festival held in Mangalore.
Official sources said that in all probability Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, who is also the finance minister, will present the budget on March 9.
