Former panchayat raj minister Shobha Karandlaje says she expects CM BS Yeddyurappa's fifth budget to be low on populism and high on incentives that foster long-term growth for all citizens

Shobha Karandlaje shares what she expects from CM BS Yeddyurappa's budget

Former panchayat raj minister Shobha Karandlaje says she expects CM BS Yeddyurappa's fifth budget to be low on populism and high on incentives that foster long-term growth for all citizens

'Don't give away fish, teach them how to catch fish' is what I advised Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, who presents his fifth budget, as finance minister, on Friday. I expect his budget to be low on populist announcement and high on incentives that foster long-term growth.


	Iu00a0have a dream
	I dream of a Karnataka where every man and woman living in the state gets uninterrupted supply of water and electricity through the year. My expectations might sounds utopian, but I do believe that the CM can help us in this regards if it wants to. -- Shobha Karandlaje

Being a woman, I want the CM do something to bring down prices, especially those of household fuels LPG and kerosene. The union finance minister has hiked excise and import duties on petrol and diesel, which will have a cascading effect on prices of other commodities.

This will also add to inflation, whichu00a0 is already getting out of control.

Everyone is looking up to the state government to cut down local tax on petrol and diesel to cushion the burden on the consumer.

I have discussed all these issues with the CM. Along with the concerns that I have already outlined, I feel, we should also take the prevailing situation into consideration. Because of the economic downturn that set in last year, tax collections have not been up to our expectations.

The fiscal deficit has gone up because we had to fund several programmes in the social sector that had been promised in the last budget. A lot had to be spent on flood relief operations as well.

Women entrepreneurs

We must understand the situation and give the CM the leeway to mobilise resources.

I expect the budget to strengthen our ongoing attempts to empower women. I have suggested to the CM that the budget should strengthen stree shakti by encouraging women's self-help groups.

I also expect it tou00a0 encourage women entrepreneurship in rural areas.

However, it is important that there are no freebiesu00a0u00a0 involved so that the exchequer is not over-burdened. This brings us to the note on which I began this letter -- Don't give away fish, teach them fishing."u00a0

Health is wealth

Health and infrastructure are the other areas I am concerned about. I hope Atal Arogya Sree, a health scheme launched in Gulbarga, is extended to other districts.

Our state also needs to develop infrastructure urgently. The state is reeling under acute shortage of power. We need to focus not only on escalating generation, we should also purchase power from other states.

This will also costs us big money. Clearly, the CM has a lot of balancing to do.

Regards, Shobha Karandlaje

(As spoken to BV Shiva Shankar)

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