Yediyurappa to table Karnataka’s budget on March 8

IANS

Bengaluru, 19 Feb 2021: The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to present the annual budget for the year 2021-22 on March 8 and prior to that it will also convene two-day special session on One Nation One Election also, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basavaraj Bommai said here.

 

After the cabinet meeting, Bommai told reporters that the Budget will be tabled on March 8 and the budget session will go on till March end.

 

He added that the session will commence on March 4 and there would be a debate on "One Nation, One Election" till March 5.

 

Apart from this, in a bid to win over farmers, Yediyurappa headed cabinet also decided to amend relevant sections of the Karnataka Money Lenders Act, to enhance punishment from six months to one year for first time offenders and two years and above for repeated offence. aceWe have come across a lot of cases regarding money lenders harassing the poor and farmers. We need to deal with iron fist. Therefore the cabinet decided to increase the quantum of fine from Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000, he explained.

 

Boammai added that Karnataka given its approval to increase Suvarna Arogya Scheme (Golden Health scheme) which was aimed at providing financial assistance to those who are infected with Covid-19 virus.

 

"As many as 1.35 lakh patients were treated in government as well as private hospitals till January 11 and we are expecting some more might be treated till March, the quantum of Covid fund rose from 620 crore to Rs 700 crore," he explained.

 

The state government has decided to upgrade eight maternal child hospitals and two general hospitals for which Rs 199 crore sanctioned under the National Health Mission.

 

During the meeting, Bommai said that the cabinet gave its nod for road construction under the Phase-3 of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana at an estimated cost of Rs 1,848.95 crore.

 

"Under this scheme, 2,201.74 km road laying work will be taken up in the rural areas of the state," he explained.

 

The state government also resolved to increase the compensation to land owners giving up their land for industrial projects.

 

"We have decided to increase land component from existing 40 per cent to 45 per cent who lose their land for projects," he said.