JOIN USThe budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has received mixed response from all walks of life in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.
For the people of coastal districts, the State budget has proposed to allow tapping of neera — sweet sap extracted from the inflorescence of coconut palms, setting up of Abbakka Rani Chair in Mangalore University, corpus fund of Rs 2 crore for setting up of Konkani chair, establishment of communicable diseases laboratory in Mangaluru, establishment of Integrated AYUSH Hospital at Mangaluru, provision of permanent shelters for the urban homeless and setting up of ladies and gents hostels in Bengaluru, Hubbali, Kalburgi, Belagavi and Mangaluru for trainees of Karnataka German Technical Training Institute among others.
Terming the budget as “good” catering to the needs of people from all walks of life, Kanara Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) President Nigam Vasani said the budget has covered people from all walks of life including border areas.
It has announced Rs 100 crore to upgrade the infrastructures in the industrial estates across the State. The prices of a few goods have been reduced.
The budget has also announced incubation centres which is a good move. Over all, the budget is pro-development.
On the other hand, Nitte Institute of Management Department of Economics, Prof Justice K S Hegde Prof G V Joshi termed the budget populist budget.
“Along with existing schemes, the CM has announced few more schemes. However, budgetary allocation is meagre. With meagre amount, will the CM fulfill the objectives. On the one hand, no fiscal discipline is maintained in the budget, unlike his previous budgets.”
MLA J R Lobo said the budget has not given much to Dakshina Kannada district. “Mangalore City Corporation was not given special grant of Rs 100 crore unlike Mysuru and Hubballi.
We had sought budgetary allocations for airport development, feasibility survey for metro train, aquarium, expansion of third phase of fishing harbour in Mangaluru. The announcement of rice and wheat through ration shops for APL families and schemes for the upliftment of SC/ST and backward classes are a good move.”
Lauding chief minister for announcing corpus fund of Rs 2 crore for setting up Konkani chair, Konkani Sahitya Academy President Roy Castellino said this will contribute to the overall development of Konkani language, literature in the long run.
“Though Konkani language has a history of several centuries, we do not have documents on it. There is a need to conduct reserach on the culture, tradition, lifestyle of 41 communities who speak Konkani language. Through the chair, correspondence courses in Konkani language can be started.”
CPM leader Vasanth Achary said “the CM has spoken of social justice in the budget. However, the budget has no programmes to overcome the problem of unemployment and to check migration of farmers to urban areas in search of employment. We had asked the State government to hike honorarium for anganwadi workers. However, the hike announced by the government is meagre.”
Meanwhile, Joy Fernandes, working as a teacher, said: “This is not a common man’s budget. Increasing the petrol, diesel and liquor prices is not a commendable effort. Allowing the tapping of neera is a good move as it will be benefit the coconut farmers of the region.”
BJP spokesperson K Jayaram Shetty slammed the budget. Stating that the budget has neglected the aspirations of people of coastal districts, he said the budget has neglected the problem of sea erosion, problems faced by areca nut growers, beedi and agriculture labourers.