Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday, while presenting the state Budget, strongly defended his government's guarantee schemes, asserting that they are not ''election gimmicks'. Presenting the state budget for 2024-25 in the Legislative Assembly, he said the tax slabs for Indian Made Liquor (IML) and beer are proposed to be revised, in order to rationalise them and make them competitive with neighbouring states.
This was Siddaramaiah's record 15th budget as Finance Minister of Karnataka, and the second under the present Congress regime.
Here are key takeaways from Karnataka Budget:
- A new social security scheme Anna-Suvidha, a home delivery app for free delivery of food grains to the doorstep of senior citizens above 80 years, will be launched.
- Shops and establishments will be allowed to open till 1 am in Bengaluru and 10 other corporation areas in order to further trade and commerce.
- Affordable and secure transit hostels will be set up for students and working women for staying overnight in cities. These lodges will be managed in partnership with women’s self-help groups and urban local bodies.
- 2,000 government primary schools will be upgraded as bilingual schools (Kannada and English).
- State government has decided to resolve traffic congestion in the city by constructing tunnels. On a pilot basis, a tunnel will be constructed this year at Hebbal Junction where there is high traffic congestion.
- 50 women-run cafes with the name of Cafe Sanjeevini will be launched across the State during this year at a cost of Rs 7.50 crore. These canteens will cater to the demand & supply gap in rural areas for healthy, hygienic & affordable cooked food: CM
- To provide boarding facilities to building and other construction workers, moving from one place to another, transit hostels will be constructed in 10 districts at a cost of Rs 100 crore.
- For early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and cervical cancer that are increasing among women, Digital Mammography machines will be provided to 20 district hospitals.
- Siddarmaiah said through the five guarantee schemes, the government is putting Rs 52,000 crore in the hands of crores of people during 2024-25. An average of Rs 50,000 to Rs 55,000 is transferred to each family every year through guarantee schemes, he said.
- One lakh women self-help groups will be supported in fisheries, beekeeping, poultry, sheep and goat rearing, Rs 100 crore will be allocated.
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