Karnataka's financials good in 100 days of BJP rule: CM

Bengaluru, Nov 6: Karnataka's financials in the first 100 days of the BJP government's rule are good and financial discipline is also well maintained, said Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Tuesday.

"The state's financial situation and tax collection is as per the target in all departments except transport department. Financial discipline is also well maintained," Yediyurappa said to mark the occasion.

The 76-year-old Yediyurappa became Chief Minister of the southern state for the fourth time on July 26, days after the JD(S)-Congress coalition government fell on July 23 when its Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy lost the trust vote in the state Legislative Assembly after 17 rebel legislators from both parties resigned and did not attend the 10-day monsoon session.

The BJP government completed 100 days in office on November 2.

Yediyurappa, who also holds the finance portfolio, however, did not share the financial numbers, including the target set and achieved in the first 100 days of his government.

As the over three-month-old fledgling BJP government passed by voice vote on July 29 the state budget for fiscal 2019-20, presented by Kumaraswamy on February 8 before the general election in April-May, the estimates have not changed.

Burdened by Rs 12,650-crore farm loan waiver and other exigencies, Kumaraswamy projected a deficit budget for the present fiscal.

The estimated tax revenue of Rs 1,18,993 crore, including Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation from the central government was projected to be 11.9 per cent over the revised estimate of fiscal 2018-19.

Though the budget has projected Rs 258 crore revenue surplus for 2019-20 as against revised estimate of Rs 194 crore for fiscal 2018-19 and reduced the burden on the capital account to Rs 174 crore from the budget estimate of Rs 579 crore for 2018-19, the budget estimates Rs 687 crore deficit for 2019-20.

"We came to power with new concepts for development and to provide corruption-free governance. But sudden floods in two-thirds of the state in August forced us to provide relief works, restore normalcy, provide shelter, housing, essentials and resume services that were disrupted by the trail of disaster by heavy monsoon rains and flooding," said Yediyurappa.

Titled "Dina Nooru, Sadhane Nooraru" in Kannada (Hundreds of efforts in 100 days) in the service to the people, the chief minister said the government's priorities changed as floods persisted across the state although the objective to protect their interests remained firm.

"In addition to Rs 4,000 to beneficiaries of the Prime Minister's Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana scheme to 25-lakh farmers, we have waived loans of fishermen and weavers to reduce their burden," the chief minister recalled.

As Karnataka is the second most arid state after Rajasthan with more dryland for growing crops round the year, the state government has given priority to irrigation to spur the farm growth.

"The Union Ministry of Environment has given clearance to Kalasa-Banduri drinking water project in the state's drought-prone northwest districts of Belagavi, Hubli-Dharwad, Gadag and Vijauapura. Work is on for the upper Krishna project to irrigate more farms for boosting production," he added.

The BJP government approved the treatment of 1,29,305 patients under the centrally-sponsored Ayushman Bharath Arogya Karnakata scheme during the last 100 days at a cost of Rs 197 crore.

The state government has also signed an agreement to allow the state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) to operate and maintain the newly-built Kalburagi airport in the state's northern district, about 650km from Bengaluru.

"Bids have been invited for the development of runway at Shivamogga in the state's Malnad region for feeder air connectivity through the state-run Karnataka Industrial Investment Development Corporation (KSIIDC)," said the chief minister.

The state cabinet has given consent to build Shivamogga-Shikaripur-Ranibennur railway line in the Malnad region, which falls in the assembly segment of the chief minister.

The industries department has approved 34 proposals during the last 3 months with combined investment of Rs 1,414 crore and prospects of generating 8,390 jobs across the southern state.