Budget evokes mixed response in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi

 The maiden budget presented by Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar received mixed response from across the section of the people in coastal districts. Some termed it as a pro-farmer budget and few as a populist budget.

Congratulating CM, Assembly Deputy Speaker N Yogish Bhat said that the budget has announced several proposals for the integrated development of the district.

He has welcomed the proposal to prepare DPR for six lane tunnel road on Shiradi Ghat; report on Kasargod-Mangalore-Udupi high speed train; Rs two crore for the setting up of an antique museum in Mangalore; Rs five crore for automated driving test track in Mangalore. He said under town planning scheme, Mangala Corniche proposal will get additional support from the government.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, KCCI President Mohammed Amin said that the budget is disappointing as far as commerce and industry is concerned. Keeping in mind the forthcoming Assembly elections, the budget has made an attempt to please the farmers by announcing loan waiver scheme and free electricity.

Professor in the department of economics, Justice K S Hegde Institute of Management, Nitte, Prof G V Joshi has congratulated CM Jagadish Shettar for touching upon all section of the society. However, the budgetary allocations to the higher education is inadequate.

The budget did not make allocations for filling the vacancies in colleges and universities. There is a need to verify whether the budgetary allocations to the mutts and religious institutions have been utilised for the purpose it has been earmarked for.

Welcoming the budget, Campco President Konkody Padmanabha said that the budget has focussed on the farmers.

Black day

Endosulphan Virodhi Horata Samithi President Sridhar Gowda said that Friday was a black day in the lives of the Endosulphan victims. Though Health Minister Aravind Limbavalli had promised better package for the victims on the floor of the Assembly during the session, the budget did not mention anything on the same, he said.

Promises fulfilled

MLA Raghupathy Bhat said that Chief Minister Jagdish Shettar had presented a good budget amidst many uncertainties. The budget has fulfilled almost all the promises it had made in the election manifesto. The agriculture budget is a brilliant effort by the government.

Congress Block Committee President Pramod Madhwaraj said all assurances made in the budget were not implemented as the new government has its own priorities. The budget serves no specific purpose.