Karnataka budget likely to cross Rs 2 lakh crore

VIJAYAWADA: Will the State budget cross Rs 2 lakh crore for the 2018-19 fiscal? Yes, say sources in the Finance Department. It could be a Rs 2.04-lakh crore budget, the sources said.

After getting the formal approval of the Council of Ministers, Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu would present the budget in the AP Legislative Assembly around 11.30 am on Thursday.
As it is going to be the last budget of the government before the elections, it is expected that priority would be given to welfare schemes.

It is learnt that the Finance Department had received proposals to a tune of about Rs 2.32 lakh crore from all the departments. The budget of Andhra Pradesh was Rs 1,11,824 crore in the 2014-14 fiscal. It rose to Rs 1,56,999 crore in 2017-18 fiscal.

It is learnt that the government would make more allocations for Water Resources Department this fiscal too.

During the pre-budget meetings, the Finance Minister, directed the officials to focus on welfare. He also instructed them to initiate new schemes for extending benefits to more families. So, the budget is expected to make sufficient allocations for effective implementation of the welfare schemes.

Despite no clarity over the quantum of funds the state government would get from the Centre, allocations would be made for unemployment allowance, one of the poll promises made by the TDP during the 2014 elections. Though the government had earmarked Rs 500 crore for it in the last budget, the scheme is yet to be implemented.

But, with the Opposition parties accusing the TDP of cheating youth without implementing the scheme for the last four years, the sources said that there would be good allocations for the unemployment allowance scheme.