A budget for all castes
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s budget for 2017-18 may be termed ‘social engineering is at its best’, with sizeable allocations, announcements, proposal of new schemes and matching grants for different
Published: 16th March 2017 02:29 AM | Last Updated: 16th March 2017 05:05 AM | A+A A-
BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s budget for 2017-18 may be termed ‘social engineering is at its best’, with sizeable allocations, announcements, proposal of new schemes and matching grants for different sections of society especially SCs, STs, backward castes, other backward classes as also minorities. He has not forgotten the upper castes as he wants to demonstrate his commitment to inclusiveness.
The neglected girl child, working women and mothers are also the focus of his attention.
CM has made efforts to address the problems of many backward classes by allocations for education, hostel facilities, scholarships and incentives for setting up SMEs. He has pandered to every section —SCs, STs, BCs, OBCs and minorities — with a slew of announcements. He has not forgotten the forward castes - Lingayats and Vokkaligas -- but this has been in the form of addressing their sentiments by giving funds for academies and memorials.
Looking at the huge allocations to sectors like dairy, fisheries, sericulture, etc. The CM has further announced development of specific corporations for the comprehensive development of Uppara and its sub-castes, Bestha, Kabbaliga, Koli, Gangamatha, Mogaveera and their sub-castes.
Another notable feature of the budget is the creation of a special cell in the Revenue Department to convert many residential areas without title deeds into revenue villages.
