Karnataka Budget 2020: How will CM Yediyurappa raise resources for the promises made?

Bengaluru, Mar 05: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday tabled the state budget in Vidhan Souda for the FY 2020-21.

CM Yediyurappa, who also doubles up as the finance minister was seen calling for new schemes and policies and scrapping the one made by the previous govenment.

However, there are claims that Yediyurappa might bite the dust while focusing only on one side of the budget than failing to know more.

Speaking to OneIndia, Dr Sandeep Shastri, one of India's top psephologist disagreed to the changes bought by CM Yediyurappa in the budget and said, "Of course, the budget has a range of schemes the Chief Minister has announced. But, the biggest challenge of this budget is from where are you (BS Yediyurappa) going to raise the resources for all the promises made?"

"Looking at the previous budget, the revenues that he is hoping to generate have not been realised. There is no concrete step on this year's budget as to how is Yediyurappa going to ensure that the revenues are hoping to be collected? If there is a shortfall in the revenue, all these plans will not take him (Yediyurappa) anywhere," he added.

Also, Yediyurappa has not provided a back up for the loss in revenue that the poeple of Karnataka going to suffer.

In the previous state budget, CM Yediyurappa had also made several schemes in a Parliament. But, little expenditures were made due to revenue shortage.

Education sector also found a dip in the budget as the type of allocation that has happened for irrigation was not seen in the education sector. The percentage of allocation has not really reached to an extend that people expected it to reach.

It seems to be looking as the state government is retreating from the higher education, which is not a good sign for the ruling government. The type of investment that needed to be made in the education sector was not visible enough to point the differences.

Here are few key highlights of the Karnataka Budget 2020-21:

1. Allotment of Rs 500 crore for Kalasa Banduri Project to supply drinking water to the four-drought prone districts in Karnataka's north-west region.
2. Revision of Anna Bhagya scheme that provides free 7 kg rice to every member of a below poverty line.
3. Horticulture sector to be considered as an industry.
4. Rs 27,000 crore allocated to elevated corridor project in Bengaluru.
5. Rs 1,000 crore to develop more than 100 villages under the BBMP limits.
6. Rs 2600 crore for Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Yojana
7. Rs 900 crore for the implementation of Fasal Bima Yojana
8. Rs 2 crore for Mahila Meenugarike Sabalikarana Yojana
9. Bhagya Lakshmi, bicycle schemes to continue
10. Increase in petrol ann diesel price by Rs 1.60 and Rs 1.59 per litre, respectively.
11. Twin towers building with 25 floors to be constructed in Bengaluru
12. Rs 25 crore for Vishwakarma Development Board
13. Rs 10 crore for Arya Vaishya Development Board