Budget programmes: Karnataka govt to come up with calendar

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said Wednesday that an “implementation calendar” will be prepared for departments to ensure that budget promises reach beneficiaries on time.

Bommai said government orders have been issued for 80% of the budget announcements while the remaining 20% are facing legal and technical delays.

During the day, Bommai chaired a meeting with five departments to see how they are implementing the budget: medical education, water resources, public works, rural development & panchayat raj (RDPR) and social welfare. He also reviewed the flagship Jal Jeevan Mission.

Speaking to reporters, Bommai said the ‘implementation calendar’ is the the second phase of putting the budget into action whereas issuing executive orders was the first phase. “We will start by charting calendars for major departments and extend it to all other departments,” he said.

Next week, Bommai will chair a meeting with all deputy commissioners and chief executive officers to review the implementation of various schemes, selection of beneficiaries and “to give vigour to district administrations”.

Reviewing the progress of budget announcements for the medical education department, Bommai directed officials to ensure that the works for the regional center of Jayadeva Cardiology Hospital at Hubballi start by August 15. The center was announced at a cost of Rs 250 crore.

Directions were also issued to speed up the process of setting up a medical college at Archakarahalli in Ramanagara district and to ensure that works are taken up by the end of June.

Sports meets

Bommai instructed the RDPR department to identify 10 rural sports such as Kho-Kho, Kabaddi, wrestling and others, and organise contests in these events at the gram panchayat level. He suggested seeking local sponsorship for these events.

Reviewing the works of the department, he directed officials to ensure that works under the first batch of Jal Jeevan Mission is completed within the next two months.

The process of setting up own buildings for 1,000 anganawadis under NREGA with assistance from Women & Child Development department should speed up, he added.