The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Deputy Chief Minister oozes confidence on transfer of power

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Tuesday, Jul 31, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Deputy Chief Minister oozes confidence on transfer of power

Special Correspondent

I will be in the Chief Minister’s chair in the next session, says Yediyurappa

‘Nearly 95 p.c. of promises made in 2006-07 budget implemented’
Allocation for irrigation has not been hit: Yediyurappa

BANGALORE: “This is my last session in the Legislative Assembly as Deputy Chief Minister. I will sit in the Chief Minister’s chair in the next session,” remarked Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who is confident of transfer of power from the Janata Dal (S) to the BJP in October.

In reply to demands for grants of various departments in the Assembly, Mr. Yediyurappa, who also holds the Finance portfolio, said he would not give any significance to “tell-tales” floated by the Opposition members on transfer of power to the BJP on October 3. “The belief never betrays,” he said adding that the BJP would head the coalition Government for 20 months from October.

“A new chapter will unfold in the history of the State” once the JD (S) transfers power to the BJP.”

The BJP had given full cooperation to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswmay in the last 18 months and he was expecting the same after the transfer of power to his party. “Mr. Kumaraswamy and I have maintained excellent working relations in the coalition Government. Why should I have doubts on transfer of power,” he said.

The budget (2007-08) presented by the coalition Government had been well discussed and “we are equally sharing the credit” for launching several welfare schemes in the last two budgets. Quoting Kautilya, he said, “the ruler is happy if the subjects are happy” and appealed to the Opposition to extend cooperation to him after becoming the Chief Minister.

Nearly 95 per cent of the promises made in the 2006-07 budget had been implemented. About 56 lakh people had benefited from various schemes, including crop loan waiver, of the Government announced in 2007-08 budget. The revenue from the excise increased by 32 per cent, from Rs. 3,414 crore in 2005-06 to Rs. 4,528 crore in 2006-07, he said.

The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) would reach Rs. 2,20,006 crore in 2007-08 and steps would be taken to keep fiscal deficit below three per cent of the GSDP in the current fiscal year. The fiscal deficit had been reduced from 3.46 per cent in 2003-04 to 2.77 per cent of the GSDP in 2006-07 and it was expected to reach 2.87 per cent in 2007-08, Mr. Yediyurappa said.

Stating that the development expenditure had been increased in health, power, public works, social welfare, and education sectors in the current fiscal year, he said the Opposition allegations were not true that spending on irrigation had declined.

A sum of Rs. 3,631 crore had been set aside for the irrigation sector this year which was 17.69 per cent of the planned allocations, he said.

Mr. Yediyurappa said the plan size had been increased to Rs. 17,782 crore in 2007-08 against Rs. 13,655 crore in 2005-06 and Rs. 16,166 crore in 2006-07. The Government had sanctioned 655 primary schools, 343 high schools, 229 pre-university colleges, 166 first grade colleges, 22 polytechnics and 22 industrial training institutes in 2007-08. A decision had been taken to recruit 19,000 primary, high school and PU, and first grade college teachers. As many as 23,000 teachers had been recruited in the last fiscal year, he pointed out.

Referring to modernisation of small airports in tier two cities, he said Rs. 50 crore had been set aside for the purpose in this fiscal year against Rs. 21 crore during 2002-06. Work on Shimoga, Hassan, Gulbarga and Bijapur airports would commence by the year-end, he assured.

The growth rate in the industrial sector was 10.7 per cent of the GSDP against the national average of 8 per cent in 2006-07. However, the Congress dubbed the budget as “populist and slogan-oriented.” The budget had nothing offer to the poor families and farmers, alleged leader of the Opposition N. Dharam Singh. M. Mallikarjun Kharge, Siddaramaiah, R.V. Deshpande (all Congress) too were dissatisfied with the reply given by Mr. Yediyurappa.

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