Siddaramaiah: Our focus is on social sector

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said his government accords top priority to the social sector, but other sectors have not been neglected.

Participating in a meet-the-press programme organised by Press Club of Bangalore and Bangalore Reporters Guild, Siddaramaiah, said that after two years in office and three budgets, there has been overemphasis on the social sector and he had given preferential treatment to the Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and dalits) communities.

“So far, we have no scandals in our governance. As for the pro-backward class, minority focus, it is needed for social justice,” Siddaramaiah said. “We have also given emphasis on irrigation, public works department, drinking water and power generation.”

The State is spending around ₹7,000 crore as subsidies on irrigation pump sets. “In less than three years, the State will be self-sufficient in power,” he said.

The Congress party is committed to spend ₹10,000 crore annually on the irrigation sector, he said. “This was decided when we held a padayatra ‘Congress nadege Krishne kadage’.”

“Arecanut farmers were given ₹83 crore relief for the first time in the State. Similarly, ₹1,100 crore subsidy was given sugarcane farmersfor the first time. No State in the country has done this,” Siddaramaiah claimed.

The Chief said about 21 lakh farmers received interest-free crop loans from cooperatives last year while 1.08 crore BPL families were given subsidised rations. Drip irrigation subsidy, incentive of ₹4 per litre of milk and a health insurance scheme were implemented. All categories of households got benefited, he said.

The Chief Minister ruled out any relaxation in Value Added Tax (VAT) rates in the State. “Since the whole country is moving to GST from the next financial year, there is no necessity for the government to relook into the existing VAT rates,” he said.

On the fears of revenue slippages from e-commerce companies, he said all companies have complied and are paying taxes as per the existing norms.

Siddaramaiah said investments are flowing into the State. “Karnataka is the best destination for investors. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are not our competitors.”

Investments worth ₹95,959 crore were cleared during the last two years and they expected to generate 2.27 lakh jobs. A Global Investors’ Meet would be held in September or October to attract more investments to the State.

Assailing the BJP for opposing the division of Bengaluru’s civic body, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Siddarmaiah said the BJP had promised to do it in its election manifesto before its defeat in 2013 Assembly elections.

“The Congress government wants to trifurcate BBMP as the city is growing very fast and has 1.1 crore population now. We will usher in a new phase of allround development and I am sure people will support the Congress in the next civic poll,” he said.