CM Siddaramaiah's big-ticket projects put on the backburner

The model code of conduct has dashed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's attempt to woo farmers in poll time as the ambitious Raitha Belaku scheme, which he announced in his 2018-19 budget, will not take off.

The Rs 3,000-crore scheme was to benefit an estimated 70 lakh dryland farmers in the state. Under the scheme, every farmer will get Rs 5,000 per hectare and a maximum of Rs 10,000 directly transferred to their bank accounts.

"A government order to implement the scheme was ready to be issued when the model code of conduct kicked in," a source in the chief minister's office said.

Siddaramaiah was also keen on issuing government orders for the implementation of free bus passes for 19.6 lakh students across Karnataka and free education for girls in pre-university to postgraduation in government colleges, the source said.

"Only a few schemes announced in the 2018-19 budget will take off, for which government orders have been issued already. This includes implementation of the recommendations of the the 6th Pay Commission and increase in old-age pensions," an official said.

Indira Canteens at taluk-level,  whose construction is yet to start, will not take off. Some irrigation and tank-filling projects were approved already.

As soon as the model code of conduct kicked in, a gala launch of the chief minister's Rs 1-lakh Bengaluru housing scheme at Vidhana Soudha that was scheduled Wednesday was cancelled. Instead, officials operationalised the scheme online on Tuesday morning, the source said.