Yediyurappa promises people-friendly budget

Mysore, Mar 1 (UNI) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who also holds the Finance portfolio, today said he would present a ''pro-poor and farmer-friendly'' budget with more emphasis on tourism, when the State Assembly budget session commences on March 16.

Addressing newspersons here, he said he had held discussions with all the departments about budget-related issues during the last one month. The budget would also give priority to women and deprived classes of the society. The Government's new commitments would entail an expenditure of nearly Rs 5,000 crore, but the Government would take necessary steps to meet this burden without putting any extra pressure on the common man, he added.

On the fifth Pay Commission for State Government employees, Mr Yediyurappa said the Government had received the report and it would study the burden of Rs 1,400 crore on the State exchequer.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the Planning Commission had agreed to a plan size of Rs 17,782 crore for the State, which was ten per cent more than last year, and had appreciated the State's revenue position and its administration during the last one year.

He said Commercial Tax collections so far this year were Rs 2,000 crore more than last year after the Government plugged the loopholes in collection.

Mr Yediyurappa said the world famous Jog falls in Shimoga district would be modernised on the lines of Brindavan Gardens at Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir near Mysore. The Government would accord priority to providing infrastructure in tourism spots.

Referring to the Bhagyalakshmi scheme for providing Rs 10,000 to girl children born in BPL families, he said that though the project was delayed for various reasons, the amount earmarked for the project would be transferred and the Government was considering to deposit the amount with interest.

The Deputy Chief Minister denied allegations on the standard of bicycles distributed to high school girls in the State.

There were no differences between the coalition partners, JD(S) and BJP, and with former Prime Minister and JD(S) President H D Deve Gowda, he claimed.

UNI