Karnataka Assembly session tomorrow, CM to present

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would present the State budget tomorrow, at the beginning of the Assembly session amid indications that mobilising additional resources is a key thrust area of the Congress government.

This would be the second 2013-14 budget as the previous BJP government had already presented one taking a vote-of-account for the expenditure to be incurred for four months ending July 31 this year.

The Congress government, installed almost two months ago, has sought to unveil the "fresh budget" for what it described as setting its own priorities and policies.

Siddaramaiah, who has presented as many as seven budgets and kept the Finance portfolio with himself this time, is expected to announce measures to augmenting resources "without hurting the common man".

The Chief Minister, who devoted considerable amount of time in pre-budget consultations in the past few days, has weighed a number of options to marshal additional resources to fund subsidy schemes entailing huge expenditure.

It yesterday launched "Anna Bhagya Yojane", which would give BPL cardholders an entitlement of 30 kg of rice at Re one every month, at an estimated expenditure of Rs 4,200 crore in the current fiscal.

Both Houses of the State Legislature are slated to have the session till July 31.