Government seeks nod for additional spending

 Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who also holds the finance portfolio, on Tuesday, presented supplementary estimates of Rs 5,822 crore in the Legislative Assembly for its approval.

This includes financial assistance of Rs 75 crore to temples and religious institutions, besides Rs 750 crore each for clearance of pending bills of Public Works department and meeting subsidy arrears for supply of free power to irrigation pumpsets.

This amount, which forms third and final instalment of supplementary estimates for the current fiscal, is additional expenditure incurred by the government over and above the budget proposals for 2012-13.

 The highest additional expenditure of Rs 1,500 crore was incurred by Energy department towards power subsidies and equity contribution of power utilities.

While Rs 750 crore was utilised for meeting subsidy for supply of electricity to irrigation pump sets and Bhagyajyothi and Kuteera Jyothi consumers, another Rs 750 crore went towards providing equity contribution towards power utilities.

Other expenditures

Other major expenditures include Rs 25 crore to support Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) to make up for losses due to unsold milk powder, Rs 87 crore towards Bhagyalakshmi scheme for providing insurance to girl children, Rs 100 crore towards food subsidies provided by Food and Civil Supplies department.

The government has earmarked Rs 20 crore to State Election Commission towards preparations of Urban Local Bodies elections. Further, Rs two crore was utilised for foreign study tour of Speaker and MLCs and Rs 25.58 lakh for purchase of a car for Legislative Council Chairman.