Hassan district pleasantly surprised by offings in Budget

The general opinion among the residents of the district about the State Budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday is that it is not as disappointing as in previous years as there are a few announcements for the district.

There were no mention of the district in a couple of earlier budgets.

While the district gets funds directly for some projects, it will get more funds under general plans made for the entire State. The CM has kept his promise and has earmarked Rs 1 crore for the establishment of a Research Centre on Jain Scriptures at Shravanabelagola.

He had given an assurance on this issue, when seer Charukeerthi Bhataraka Swami had appealed for the centre, during the recently held 81st All India Kannada Literary Meet.

The CM has also responded positively to the two and a half decades old demand for development of a garden on the open space in front of the Hemavathi reservoir on the lines of Brindavan gardens at Krishnaraja Sagar dam.

A garden has also been proposed at Goruru dam. Hassan gets a women’s police station, following public demand.

Tourism potential
Steps have been taken to tap the tourism potential of the district and both Belur and Halebeedu get Rs 1 crore each.

Halebeedu may get an additional Rs 1 crore under a comprehensive plan to develop three places listed temporarily as world heritage sites.

Various places in the district will be benefited with the sanctioning of Rs 1,208 crore for the ongoing Shiradi Ghat road upgradation works. The district may also get a couple of trekking routes under the 20 routes proposed.

The proposal to develop birthplaces of prominent poets may also be beneficial as a couple of such poets of the district may be identified.

CITU district convenor Dharmesh said, the protest of Anganwadi workers was dropped as the CM had assured to increase their honorarium, but now the hike is just Rs 500 for volunteers and Rs 250 for assistants.

“So, we are forced to relaunch the protests. The Budget does not make a mention of civic workers employed on contract. It does not have anything for the education and healthcare sector. The dangerous trend is ‘private partnership’ in development,” he said.

“I welcome facilities to physically challenged persons, measures for women safety and stress on construction of toilets in rural areas. Plans for CCTV cameras in BCM hostels should be extended to all student hostels,” said K T Jayashree, convenor of Ananya Trust.

Vidya Vijeth, a provision store owner, said, a hike in tax on cigarettes is justifiable, but the hike in price of petrol and diesel will affect the people in general

“All governments extend benefits to minority and backward communities. They forget that there are economically backward people among forward communities also,” she said.

N S Ramdas, a mobile phone shop owner, said, a major chunk of the funds have been earmarked for backward and minority communities.

“Common people have been neglected. Hike in petrol and diesel prices will affect common people. More funds should have been allocated for roads and other development projects,” he said.