New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented his maiden budget on Friday and the key points include Rs 1,000 crore for the Mekedatu project, no hike in taxes and doing away with government control over temples.    


"There is a long pending demand to do away with the government control on the temples. By considering these demands of devotees, autonomy will be given to temples coming under the purview of the Endowment department. Necessary legal action will be taken to delegate the discretion of developmental works to the temples," news agency PTI quoted Bommai as saying.


Bommai also said that a subsidy of Rs 5,000 per person will be provided to 30,000 pilgrims undertaking 'Kaashi Yatre' from the southern state.


Maintaining a financial discipline, Bommai said that in this budget, he has tried to balance development of all the sections of the society and all the regions of Karnataka.


He said that in a bid to encourage public and private institutions to adopt cows in goshalas, the government has enacted an anti-cow slaughter legislation, proposed to launch 'Punyakoti Dattu Yojane' and also pay Rs 11,000 every year.


It has also been proposed to raise the number of goshalas from 31 to 100, and Rs 50 crore will be provided in the budget for this purpose.


The total consolidated fund has increased from Rs 2,46,207 crore in 2021-22 budget estimates to Rs 2,65,720 crore this year, that is an increase of Rs 19,513 crore and a growth rate of 7.9%.


The government has also budgeted total borrowings of Rs 72,000 crore for 2022-23.


"The economy in 2021-21 is on the road to recovery. In these circumstances, I am not willing to put an extra burden of additional taxes on the common man. Tax collection targets will be achieved by ensuring all the tax departments to perform better," the chief minister said.


In the budget, news schemes such as diesel subsidy, Milk Producers' Co-Operative Society, scheme for deep-sea fishing boats and export promotion by KAPPEC have been proposed.


Stating that the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and Bengaluru Drinking Water Project will be implemented by getting clearances from the appropriate authority concerned of the central government, Bommai said a grant of Rs 1,000 crore will be provided in the current year for the implementation of this project.


He said that action is being taken to obtain clearances from the authorities for utilisation of allocated water to the Kalasa and Banduri Nala diversion projects in accordance with the award of Mahadayi Tribunal. "Grant of Rs 1,000 crore is provided to implement these projects in the current year," Bommai said.


In addition to this, a grant of Rs 5,000 crore will be provided in the current year for implementation of North Karnataka's Upper Krishna Project Stage-3 and works related to it will be taken up by giving priority to land acquisition, rehabilitation and reconstruction works.


Farmers will be benefited from re-implementation of Yashaswini scheme (medical facilities to rural farmers), value addition of farm produce and market support, enhanced incentive to the sericulture farmers and implementation of several irrigation projects.


Due to the difficulties caused by the second and third wave of Covid pandemic, the sales tax on petrol and diesel was reduced in November 2021 because of which the petrol and diesel rates had come down by Rs 7 per litre and the rates will not be increased, Bommai said.


According to this year’s budget, the government will identify ‘aspirational taluks’ based on development index in the sectors such as education, health, nutrition and poverty eradication, and efforts will be made for all-round development of these taluks and Rs 3,000 crore is being earmarked for this purpose.


Special focus has also been given for the welfare of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes, backward classes and minorities, and women, the chief minister said, adding that substantial hike in allocation for education, health and nutrition has been made by giving emphasis to human resource development.


"Our government has given emphasis to create large scale employment opportunities especially for women. Important priority of this budget is to help women self-help groups for working capital, value addition, banking, quality assurance and market, and also encouraging self-employment," PTI quoted Bommai as saying.


Focus has also been given on development of road, rail and basic infrastructure by attracting investment, generating employment opportunities and economic growth, Bommai added.


In order to encourage the use of farm machinery and to reduce fuel expenditure for the first time in Karnataka, diesel subsidy at Rs 250 per acre, subject to maximum of five acres, will be provided through DBT under a new scheme ‘Raitha Shakti’ for which Rs 500 crore has been provided in this budget.


An amount of Rs 500 crore has also been allocated for development of infrastructure in the government schools of the state, and priority will be given for selected aspirational taluks under this grant.


The budget also proposes to establish 438 ‘Namma Clinics’ in major cities of the state and they will also be established in all wards of Bengaluru.


In these clinics, the services of detection of non-communicable diseases and referral for higher treatment to specialists will be provided.


To enable establishment of enterprises, entrepreneurship training will be provided in IIM Bengaluru to 300 women graduates of SC/ST communities.


It has also been proposed to develop a multi-purpose ‘Atal Bihari Vajpayee Park’ in an area of 350 acres of government land in Jarakabande area of Yelahanka in Bengaluru on the model of Lalbagh-Cubbon parks.


Also, Bengaluru suburban railway project is proposed to be completed by the year 2026 at an estimated expenditure of Rs 15,267 crore. In this project, four corridors will be constructed with a total length of 148 km.


The Detailed Project Report (DPR) to take up Phase-3 of the Bengaluru Metro project, covering a distance of 45 km, at an estimated cost of Rs 11,250 crore, will also be submitted to the Centre for approval.


A greenfield airport will also be constructed in Raichur at an expenditure of Rs 186 crore with financial assistance from the District Mineral Fund and Kalyana Karnataka Development Board. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed with the Airports Authority of India.


The feasibility report on establishing airports in Davangere and Koppal districts will be prepared, Bommai said, adding that the runway of Mysuru Airport will be extended with assistance from the central government.