Karnataka Budget 2019 Highlights: Rs 6,500 Cr Allocated for Waiver of Crop Loan of Farmers, Massive Allocation for Railways

In the coalition government's second budget, HD Kumaraswamy announced an allocation of Rs 6,500 crore for the waiver of crop loan of farmers to Commercial Banks and Rs 6,150 crore to Co-operative Banks. The controversial elevated corridor project also saw a mention with the CM allocating a sum of Rs 100 crore for this purpose in the year 2019-20. The CM also set aside Rs 23,093 crore for suburban rail service, as well as the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), Bengaluru Rail Infrastructure Development Entity (B-RIDE) under State and Central Government partnership.

Grant of Rs 1,000 crore allocated to construct elevated corridors in the year 2019-20. Converting 5 lakh road lights in Bengaluru into LED. To convert Commercial Street and Brigade Road into pedestrian roads. 

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy announced the re-launching of “Janapada Jathre” programme to encourage folk artists and folk arts. Rs 2 crore grant will be provided to organize the event. Meanwhile, Rs 5 Cr allocated for modernisation of Urban Haat at Mysuru. Rs 5 crore allocated for development of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout.

Karnataka announces a new scheme to provide affordable, low-interest loans to small farmers, sets aside Rs 29,000 crore for SC/ST allocation.

Karnataka CM announces Rs 10,000 per hectare financial assistance for farmers engaged in the cultivation of millets and Rs. 7,500 per hectare for paddy cultivation in coastal Karnataka.

Rs 8,015 crore set aside for Brand Bengaluru. CM says, Pomegranate and grape cultivators facing several challenges over the last few years and to address this, 150 crore Spl package announced for this.

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy says state to build 854 houses in flood-hit Kodagu. He said the farm loan waiver has been carried out successfully and Rs 9,291.81 crore spent on irrigation projects.

The coalition government has submitted a Rs 2,500 crore proposal to the Centre for drought relief. About 156 taluks in the state are hit by the drought, says Kumaraswamy.

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy began the budget session amid huge uproar by Opposition in the state assembly. Opposition BJP stages walkout. The leader of the Opposition Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa led the walkout.

Congress leader Siddaramaiah said he will petition before the assembly speaker to suspend the four dissenting Congress MLAs. He said he will petition Speaker Ramesh Kumar to disqualify the four truant MLAs B Nagendra, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumthalli and Umesh Jadhav for failing to turn up for the CLP meet and Budget session despite whips. Action will be initiated against them under the anti-defection law. Meanwhile, while addressing media, Yeddyurappa said the BJP will participate in the Budget session and there will be no opposition from our side. Their MLAs are not turning up, should we remain quiet?”

After HD Kumaraswamy released the audio clips BJP's Yeddyurappa said he had not met anyone to woo JD(S) lawmaker Nagana Gouda as alleged and that the charge against him was "far from the truth." According to PTI, Yeddyurappa rubbished the CM's claims and termed it as "fake" and "a concocted story". He said the audio clips are being released by state chief minister HD Kumaraswamy to lure an MLA to topple the Congress-JD(S) government.

The Karnataka budget will be presented at around noon today after legislative party meetings by the Congress, JDS and BJP. Just ahead of the budget today, Kumaraswamy tried to woo the rebel Congress lawmakers with prime positions in the state government. The beneficiaries include lawmakers Pratap Gowda Patil, Basaveshwaranagar Daddal and MA Gopalaswamy while Daddal has been appointed as chairman of the Scheduled Tribes Welfare Board, Gopalaswamy is the new parliamentary secretary to Water Resource Minister DK Shivakumar.

Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa dismisses "fake" audio clips released by HD Kumaraswamy. Yeddyurappa said the audio released by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is "fake," according to news agency PTI.

Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy said it is unfortunate that PM Narendra Modi continues to mislead the nation from the Temple of Democracy-the Parliament. He said about Rs 1900 crores already given to 4 lakh farmers and all eligible commercial bank loanee farmers to get 1st instalment in February itself.

According to reports, advocate RLN Murthy filed a complaint against BS Yeddyurappa, Malleshwaram BJP MLA, Ashwath Narayan and others. The complaint alleged that BJP has committed an offence of kidnapping and wrongful confinement of some members of a legislative assembly which did not allow them to participate in budget session 2019.

Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy releases an audio clip of a conversation allegedly between BJP State Chief BS Yeddyurappa and JDS MLA Naganagowda Kandkur's son Sharana where Yeddyurappa made an offer Rs 25 lakh and ministerial post for his father.

Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy: On one side Narendra Modi is preaching to the country and politicians, on the other side, he is encouraging his friends to demolish democracy through black money. I will expose this now, I have the proof to back my charge.

Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy addresses an emergency press conference at his official residence. During his address, he launched a scathing attack at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he is misleading people. "He (PM) is systemically demolishing this country's democracy, misleading the people, I request all the opposition parties to rise. They must expose the truth of the Prime Minister in the parliament", Kumaraswamy said.

Basanagouda Daddal, Congress MLA from Raichur who was reportedly disgruntled with the party: I'm in the party, I haven't gone anywhere. That's the reason I'm attending a legislative party meeting. All rumours spread by media.

In the 224-member Assembly in Karnataka, Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) has 37 MLAs, while Congress has 80 members. Ever since the Congress-JDS jointly formed the government in Karnataka in May 2018, there have been murmurs of resentment among them. Kumaraswamy had earlier announced that he will fulfil his Rs 46,000-crore loan waiver commitment made to farmers "completely" in the Budget.