K'taka budget anti-farmers, anti-poor: Congress

Bangalore, Mar 16 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly N Dharam Singh today criticised the State budget for 2007-08 as ''anti-farmers and anti-poor'' as it contained no definite programme to improve their standard of life.

Talking to reporters at the Assembly lobby, he said the budget made no mention of any programme to control the crashing sugarcane prices in the State. In the social sector, housing for poor had also been neglected, he added.

Stating that only 43 per cent of last year's budget programmes have been implemented, Mr Singh said the Government had not yet released Rs 25 crore subsidy for medical and dental students.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Mallikarjuna Kharge described the budget as a ''bogus document'' with full of promises which could not be fulfilled. The budget had been drafted with an eye on the coming local body polls, he felt.

He accused the Government of failing to undertake measures to eradicate unemployment problem among the youth.

Former Deputy Chief Minister and Congress member Siddaramaiah said the progarmmes in the budget would only remain on paper and not help in the real development of the State. Fund allocation to core sectors like agriculture, irrigation and power had been decreased in comparison to the previous budget, he noted.

UNI