Karnataka Budget receives mixed reactions in Dakshina Kannada

The Karnataka state Budget presented by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa received mixed responses in Dakshina Kannada district.

Lauding the Budget, BJP State president and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said that Yediyurappa presented an "optimistic" Budget, which will complement the growth of the state.

Minister S Angara and Campco president Kishore Kumar Kodgi thanked the Chief Minister for earmarking Rs 25 crore for conducting research into yellow leaf disease and to help farmers take up cultivation of alternative crops in the affected plantations.

On the other side, former member of Karnataka State Planning Board and retired professor of Economics in Mangalore University, G V Joshi said that the Budget has set a dangerous trend of budgetary allocation for caste and community-oriented schemes. This in turn will be a setback to the development of the state which former finance minister Arun Jaitely had predicted during global investors meeting in 2016, he added.

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KCCI President Isaac Vas said that the government has presented a Budget emphasising on women empowerment, tourism, agriculture and irrigation. "Although capital expenditure for the year has been restricted to Rs 44,237 crore out of a total Budget outlay of Rs 2,46,207 crore, Rs 66 crore was allocated for Plastic Park at Ganjimatta in order to accelerate work. Plans to introduce a Bill on reconstituting Coastal Development Authority as Coastal Development Board was a welcome step," he added.

He further said that establishment of Advanced Bio-tech Research Centre on seaweed will encourage fishermen in the district to take up seaweed cultivation which he feels has tremendous export potential. "This will create employment and generate wealth in the region. Outlay for conversion of sea water for agricultural use is sure to help the coastal districts," Vas said.

Plans on having 1,000 EV charging stations will benefit DK as it is number 2 in new vehicle registration and will encourage people to shift from fossil fuel to this new age solar power, he said.

DCC president MLC K Harish Kumar said, “The Budget has not allocated funds for particular projects in a district. It lacks farsightedness. The sector-wise allocation of Budget is misleading the public.”

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Well-known chartered accountant Giridhar Kamath said that there is nothing substantial in the budget. “CM has almost maintained the status quo,” he added.

Seva Bharathi Treasurer Vinod Shenoy welcomed government’s decision to increase monthly stipend from Rs 1,400 to Rs 2,000 for mentally challenged people.

Shenoy told DH that he was hoping that the salaries of special teachers would be increased from the present Rs 13,500. The welfare of differently abled, which is presently under women and child welfare department, needs a separate independent department, he stressed.

Vinod Madhavan, Dean-Administration, Associate Professor-Marketing Area, TAPMI-Manipal, said the Budget has supported people of the state by not raising taxes, especially, during Covid times. "Digitisation of APMC is a welcome move and will ease transactions for farmers. Revamp of health infrastructure, especially, additional ICUs in 19 districts and 100 taluk hospitals is much-needed support during the pandemic," he added.