Rs 6.2k-cr supplementary budget tabled; roads, cane farmers get major share

Belagavi: The govt Tuesday sought the legislative assembly's approval for a supplementary budget of Rs 6,280 crore to meet additional expenses and demands from various departments.

Of the total, Rs 2,240 crore is proposed to be met through central assistance, while the state will bear Rs 3,421 crore. The govt will dive into reserve funds for the remaining sum. A significant portion of the additional spending has been earmarked for road development work and financial assistance to sugarcane farmers.


The govt will also "reimburse" boards and corporations which spent close to Rs 350 crore on the social and educational survey, popularly known as the caste survey.

The D Devaraj Urs welfare corporation spent Rs 150 crore — the most — followed by the Lingayat and Vokkaliga development corporations at Rs 70 crore each.

The govt has allocated Rs 434 crore from the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund from the Centre. It also set aside Rs 300 crore to provide financial assistance to sugarcane farmers at the rate of Rs 50 per quintal for cane supplied to sugar factories in Karnataka.

The supplementary budget also seeks legislative approval for Rs 6.4 crore already spent, and for possible future expenditure on helicopter travel by chief minister Siddaramaiah and governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot.

Besides, Rs 11.6 crore has been allocated to purchase 71 vehicles, including 12 minibuses for use by various departments, personnel attached to the CM's office and officials of Karnataka Lokayukta.

The govt has also proposed Rs 14.5 crore for expenditure incurred on the ongoing Belagavi legislature session and another Rs 2 crore for coverage of legislative proceedings. Travel expenses incurred by the speaker and council chairman to attend the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) conference, amounting to Rs 1 crore each, have also been included, along with Rs 3.6 crore for the 11th CPA conference.

Other allocations include Rs 14 crore for the Bengaluru smart energy-efficient power distribution project to be adjusted against funds released by Asian Development Bank, Rs 23.5 crore for Mysuru Dasara celebrations, Rs 50 lakh for Tumakuru Dasara, and Rs 10 crore for a future Karnataka delegation's visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.