Amid uncertainty about the stability of the Janata Dal (Secular)–Congress coalition and repeated disruptions of the House by the Bharatiya Janata Party, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will unveil the second budget of his government in the Legislative Assembly on Friday, which is expected to largely focus on the agrarian economy.

With elections to the Lok Sabha two to three months away, the budget is expected to offer a succour for rural economy, particularly waiver of farm loans.

He has also promised to focus on other income-generation schemes for farmers with a long-term focus on reviving the agrarian economy.

Irrigation projects such as Mekedatu, Yettinahole, Almatti, and Upper Bhadra are expected to get allocations in the budget.

With the Narendra Modi government at the Centre doling out direct transfer of ₹6,000 a year for small and marginal farmers, the State Budget is expected to act on the coalition government’s commitment on waiver of farm loans. However, the scheme is expected to tighten the State’s fiscal resources.

The budget’s size is expected to reach ₹2.3 lakh crore against the size of ₹2.18 lakh crore in 2018–19. Sectors such as agriculture, social welfare, rural development, education, and Benglauru city are expected to get a lion’s share in the budget.

Bengaluru’s infrastructure projects such as peripheral ring road, metro rail, and sub-urban railway too are likely to get substantial funds.

The Congress’s ‘Bhagya’ schemes, and the JD(S)’s ‘Badavara Bandhu’, an interest-free loan scheme for street vendors, are likely get more funds too.

A small sum is expected to be set aside for the development of Veerapura village near Magadi, the birth place of Shivakumara Swami of Siddaganaga Mutt who passed away recently.

Regional balance

Unlike the last year’s budget, which had largely focused on the JD(S)-dominated districts of Hassan, Mandya, Ramanagaram, Mysuru, Chickballapur, and Tumakuru, this budget is expected to ensure regional balance while making allocations and proposing new scheme. Congress legislators had complained about alleged regional bias in the 2018–19 budget.

Budget copies only after completion of speech

Following the Lok Sabha model, the State government has decided to give copies of the State Budget to members of the Legislative Assembly and mediapersons after the competition of the budget speech by Mr. Kumaraswamy on Friday.

It is learnt that this is also aimed at avoiding Opposition members from tearing up the budget copies and adding to the drama.

The Chief Minister is scheduled to commence the budget speech at 12.30 p.m.

The Opposition BJP has condemned the decision. In the previous years, MLAs and mediapersons used to get copies of the budget soon after the budget speech commenced.