An explosive presser by Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy preceded the state budget session. Kumaraswamy accused BJP Karnataka Chief Yeddurappa of offering bribe to a JD(S) MLA’s son in order to break the Congress-JD(S) coalition in power in the state, and released the tape in an attempt to implicate him. Yeddyurappa called the audio fake, and denied all allegations. The happenings pushed the budget session to the afternoon.
As in the previous budget, Kumaraswamy has once again promised to fulfil the Rs 46,000 crore farm loan waiver in this budget, too. The current budget is expected to dole out sops to the farmers, just like the interim Budget presented by the Union government.
Farmers have demanded that the coalition government drop the numerous conditions for the loan waiver scheme and has sought higher compensation for crop damage due to floods and drought.
"Without violating Fiscal Responsibility Act, I am clearing it completely with allocation for it. In the next financial year, the money that will be released will clear the Rs 46,000 crore loan waiver commitment made," Kumaraswamy had told the media last week.
The farm loan waiver scheme is expected to be implemented in one stroke with adequate budgetary allocation, instead of completing the process in four stages as was planned earlier.