Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar.
Credit: DH Photo
Mysuru: While BJP leaders have called the Union budget a road map for Vikasit Bharath, there is a mixed reaction from stakeholders and experts. Among the major projects announced, stakeholders have demanded to establish one Regional Medical Hub and one legacy industrial cluster in Mysuru; and one University township in Karnataka.
Lauding allotments for all sectors especially in digital sector and to empower youth, Mysore-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar said, "announcement to set up 'Telescope infrastructure facilities' will be helpful to the COSMOS Planetarium which is coming up in Mysuru. High-speed rail corridors announced between Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Chennai-Bengaluru as ‘growth connectors’ will bring further boom in development to the State."
BJP State spokesperson M G Mahesh said "It is a progressive and inclusive budget with programmes involving people of all cross sections in alignment with the slogan of 'Sabka Saath', which lays the road map to make India a Super power by 2047. Announcement to establish one girls' hostel in every district, will be helpful for women empowerment."
GST for rental buildings not reduced:
Mysore Hotel Owners Association President C Narayangowda said, "Even as the State collects higher GST, we had expected the Union Government to allot the funds to State on par with it which has not happened. There have not been specific major projects to the State including the tourism sector. There are 2.5 lakh hotels and restaurants in Karnataka with 12.5 lakh workers and 80% of them are in rented buildings. So on behalf of the South India and Karnataka hotel owners' association, we had given representation to the Union Government urging to reduce GST for rental buildings including business establishments like hotels from 18% to 5%. There was an appeal to double the income tax slab limits. But none of these has been done to help business entrepreneurs."
He added, "They have announced five Regional Medical Hubs (RMH) integrated healthcare complexes that combine medical, educational and research facilities, in partnership with the private sector, which will serve as integrated healthcare complexes that combine medical, educational and research facilities. They will have AYUSH Centres, Medical Value Tourism Facilitation Centres and infrastructure for diagnostics, post-care and rehabilitation. Since Mysuru is already a hub for health care and Yoga, one such RMH should be established in Mysuru. It is a welcome move to strengthen and increase capacities of district hospitals by establishing Emergency and Trauma Care Centres which will help people. They have promised to support States in creating 5 University Townships in the vicinity of major industrial and logistic corridors with academic zones having multiple universities, colleges, research institutions, skill centres and residential complexes. They should create one such University township in Karnataka too. Plan to establish a national destination digital knowledge grid to digitally document all places of significance-cultural, spiritual and heritage, will be helpful," Narayangowda said.
P Vishwanath, President and Suresh Kumar Jain, General Secretary, Mysuru Industries Association, have termed the budget as pro development and welcomed special emphasis to MSMES. They said "they have announced plans to revive 200 legacy industrial clusters to improve their cost competitiveness and efficiency through infrastructure and technology upgradation; to create 'Champion SMEs' and support micro enterprises. They should implement this project in the Hebbal Industrial area spread over 6500 acre in Mysuru."
Vikram J an economist said, "This budget has nothing much to help common people, to bring down inflation, or to reduce prices of daily use commodities. Approximately only about 2 to 4% of India's total population actually pays income tax, despite about 6-7% filing income returns. Government declares that they provide free rations to about 80 crore people in India under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anno Yojana (PMGKAY), out of taxpayers money. There should have been more programmes to make these people more self-sustained-Aatmanirbar. They should have taken more initiatives to reduce the cost of education; to provide better public infrastructure facilities to benefit taxpayers."