In Karnataka Budget 2023, CM Siddaramaiah Promises Rs 52,000 Crore For Five Poll Promises

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah set a record by presenting his 14th budget, his seventh budget as chief minister on Friday. This will be the highest number of budgets presented by any chief minister or finance minister in the state so far, surpassing late chief minister Ramakrishna Hegde.

The first budget of the Congress government included a detailed allocation towards the five poll guarantees that the party promised -- free food grain, free electricity, an unemployment stipend, monetary benefits to housewives, and free bus travel for women. In February this year, former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had announced a Budget of Rs 3.09 lakh cr.

Key Points From Budget

• The Total Expenditure is estimated to be Rs 3,27,747 crores which includes Revenue Expenditure at Rs 2,50,933 crores, Capital Expenditure at Rs 54,374 crores and loan repayment at Rs 22,441 crores. 
• Through the five poll promises, the government will provide average additional financial aid of Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 a month to each household. 
• Rs 37,587 Crores has been allocated for Education -- 11 percent of the total allocation. Siddaramaiah also announced that the National Education Policy will be replaced with State Education Policy. 
• Rs 24,166 Crores has been allocated for Women and Child Development -- 7 percent of the total allocation.
• Rs 14,950 Crores - 4 percent of the total allocation - allocated for Health and Family welfare
• Excise duty on liquor has been hiked by 20 percent. 
• Agriculture sector to get another Rs 5 crore, to be used for mini food processing enterprises and smart apps
• Rs 30,000 crore has been allotted to the BMRCL's Namma Metro

State Minister HK Patil said, "Natural that there are people's expectations. There also have a lot of confidence in us. Congress party has built that credibility in Karnataka & also in the country. I am sure that we will be able to deliver and people will be happy after the Budget."

Karnataka Budget Session

The budget session of Karnataka began on July 3 with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot emphasising on the need to eradicate corruption in the state.

The Assembly witnessed scenes of uproar with the BJP staging protests inside and outside the Assembly alleging 'cheating' and 'misleading' by the ruling Congress in the name of five guarantees. "Our agitation is against the failure of fulfilling the five guarantees. We are also opposing the government's stand to withdraw the anti-conversion and anti-cow slaughter laws, which our government had introduced in the past," former Chief Minister Yediyurappa said.

According to media reports, the implementation of the five poll guarantees is expected to cost the state exchequer an estimated  ₹60,000 crore annually.

The Congress is likely to table a bill scrapping the anti-conversion law called Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act, 2022 and a bill scrapping the anti-cow slaughter law called Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, which were introduced by the previous BJP government, news agency PTI has reported.