Budget to present CM’s vision for farming

BENGALURU: Ahead of Thursday’s state budget, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa is confident of overcoming the financial constraints to present his government’s vision for overall development of the state, from industries to agriculture.

Admitting that there is a shortfall, the CM, during an interaction with the media on Monday, said they are well aware of the limitations as there may be a delay in getting one installment of GST component. The CM said that soon after the budget, he will travel to New Delhi to take up the issue with central ministers. The state government has already written to the Centre on the issue, he added.

The CM will not present a separate agriculture budget this time, like in his earlier tenure, but said that he is keen to give a push to the agriculture sector that has been hit by droughts and severe floods. The government will also take measures to attract investors by ensuring ease of doing business. Land acquisition is an issue and the government working on it, he said. Many top investors, who met the CM during his Davos visit, are in touch with the state government officials to take up their investment plans.

With a strong backing from the high command, Yediyurappa is striving to leave a deep mark in the budget. “The high command has given me full freedom. They appointed three deputy CMs, but the party central leaders had consulted me,” he said.  

Because the relationship with the high command is good, the Union government notified the Mahadayi water issue quickly, he pointed out.   On his party MLA Basanagouda Patil  Yatnal’s outburst against centenarian freedom fighter HS Doreswamy, the CM said that everyone needs to speak within limits. “No one can speak lightly of Veer Savarkar, and the matter is before the House and the opposition has raised it,” he said.

On IPS officers being booked by the CBI in connection with the Rs 4,000 crore IMA scam, the CM said that he was the one who gave them the permission.The CM said that the government has set up a committee under MLA KG Bhopaiah to look into the issue of encroachments and said hundreds of acres have been encroached around Bengaluru. Once identified and auctioned, these pieces of land would  fetch Rs 5,000-6,000 crore revenue, he added.

On developing civil aviation in the state, the CM said that airports have come up in Hubballi, Kalaburagi and would be ready in Shivamogga in about nine months.