JOIN USThe budget has allocated Rs 2,200 crore for rural water supply schemes. This apart, Rs 1,585 crore has been earmarked to make Karnataka ‘open defecation-free’ state.
The budget has proposed to enhance the Zilla Panchayat development fund to Rs 4 crore. Under the project `Namma Hola Namma Dari' scheme, besides Rs 20 crore allocation for 3.9 lakh activities under Namma Grama Namma Yojane. The budget intends to allocate Rs 100 crore to develop 25 km of roads in each rural Assembly constituency. This apart, it has been proposed to implement rural road management policy as per National Rural Road Development Authority guidelines.
Siddaramaiah said under the Chief Minister’s Gram Vikas scheme, which is Chief Minister’s 21-point programme, development of 1,000 villages will be taken up in two years. The development of 4,386 km roads under ‘Namma Grama Namma Raste – phase - 4’ at a cost of Rs 1,765 crore is proposed.
The government has proposed to establish 1,000-litre-capacity bio-fuel production unit and central bio-fuel quality testing lab at a cost of Rs 5 crore. Under the rural development schemes, the government has proposed to establish woman work sheds in collaboration with National Livelihood Mission for taking up production or service activities.
Provision of short-term agricultural loans up to Rs 3 lakh at 0% interest, medium and long-term agricultural loans at 3% interest up to Rs 10 lakh has been continued. The government has proposed agriculture loans to 25 lakh farmers, amounting to Rs 13,500 crore. The budget proposes to distribute loans at 0% interest to women SHGs through co-operative societies. This apart, the budget has allocation for financial assistance up to 25% for supply of micro ATM-cum-POS machines to PACs having internet connectivity, through DCC banks with NABARD assistance.