<p>The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala announced a series of agricultural schemes as Finance Minister K M Mani presented the 2014-15 budget for the state.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The budget, pegged to an expected growth rate of 8.58 per cent, envisaged the annual plan for 2014-15 with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore. The finance minister, while making new allocations for welfare programmes, also hiked taxes and levies on alcohol, tobacco, textiles, motor vehicles and construction.<br /><br />Mani’s 12th budget as finance minister has lined up many welfare programmes for farmers as part of the state’s priority schemes. Under the scheme – that will benefit farmers who own two hectares of agricultural land or less – the government will enter into agreements with insurance companies to insure 25 major crops. The list of measures also mentions a health insurance scheme for farmers who own two hectares or less (with the government bearing 50 per cent premium).<br /><br />The government will provide free laptops for girl students from BPL families and families of small-scale farmers, who secure admission to professional courses.<br /><br />Under a family welfare scheme, the government, in the event of the death of a farmer who owns a hectare of land or less, will repay half his bank debts of up to Rs 50,000. The budget allocates Rs 25 crore in connection with the scheme.</p>
<p>The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala announced a series of agricultural schemes as Finance Minister K M Mani presented the 2014-15 budget for the state.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The budget, pegged to an expected growth rate of 8.58 per cent, envisaged the annual plan for 2014-15 with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore. The finance minister, while making new allocations for welfare programmes, also hiked taxes and levies on alcohol, tobacco, textiles, motor vehicles and construction.<br /><br />Mani’s 12th budget as finance minister has lined up many welfare programmes for farmers as part of the state’s priority schemes. Under the scheme – that will benefit farmers who own two hectares of agricultural land or less – the government will enter into agreements with insurance companies to insure 25 major crops. The list of measures also mentions a health insurance scheme for farmers who own two hectares or less (with the government bearing 50 per cent premium).<br /><br />The government will provide free laptops for girl students from BPL families and families of small-scale farmers, who secure admission to professional courses.<br /><br />Under a family welfare scheme, the government, in the event of the death of a farmer who owns a hectare of land or less, will repay half his bank debts of up to Rs 50,000. The budget allocates Rs 25 crore in connection with the scheme.</p>
