Expect a populist, please all budget from Bommai today

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: The last budget of the incumbent BJP Government headed by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to be presented by him on Friday, is expected to be populist to the core considering that the Assembly polls are barely two months away.

To retain power for another term of five years, Bommai who also holds the finance portfolio is expected to distribute freebies in the name of social welfare and uplift of communities besides doling it out to important mutts for educational and other purposes, and special grants for mutts belonging the microscopic minority communities. To mop up resources, the government is likely to levy an additional cess on liquor and other items.

Special focus on Bengaluru Following complaints of neglect of Bengaluru City, the CM is likely to announce grants for some of the major infrastructure projects including 12 corridors to streamline the burgeoning traffic, Peripheral Ring Road, flyovers, underpasses, and overpasses, additional funds for the construction of new rajakaluves to check flooding of residential layouts during heavy rains, and signal-free corridors.

As coastal Karnataka has been a strong fortress of the saffron party, Bommai is expected to announce sops for the fishermen’s community too. Similarly, new schemes are likely to be announced for professional artisans and a loan cum subsidy schemes for people belonging to various professional trades. Bonanza for SC/STs Keeping an eye on the votes of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the CM may announce some more schemes for their welfare in the budget.

Apart from the construction of some more hostels for community students, new financial benefits are likely to be announced. It looks like the CM may have special programmes for the regions where the opposition parties are strong, to woo voters. The agriculturists are likely to get more schemes from the government including an increase in the crop loan limit with zero percent interest rate.

The Small Scale Industries, MSMEs, and medium and large-scale industries may be given some concession, especially for those that would create jobs. Impetus on irrigation Having declared the next ten years as the decade of irrigation projects, Bommai is expected to allocate funds for the completion of the Upper Krishna Projects, the Yettinahole drinking water scheme, the Upper Bhadra project, and other important schemes.