Pro-all budget, no fresh taxes this year: CM Siddaramaiah
Siddaramaiah said his government had already collected more taxes than last year.
Bengaluru: There is good news for citizens with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah declaring that he would not be imposing fresh taxes in his forthcoming state budget. He also hinted that he may not increase the budget size compared to last year.
Speaking to reporters after meeting State Planning Board officials, Mr Siddaramaiah, who handles the finance portfolio, said the budget would be pro-farmer, pro-poor and pro-middle class. When asked if he proposed to present a budget, bigger than last year’s Rs 1.47 lakh crore budget, the CM said he did not want to burden the poor and middle classes by levying new taxes.
Rebutting former CM, B.S. Yeddyurappa’s claim that the state’s finances were in a mess, Mr Siddaramaiah said his government had already collected more taxes than last year. Mr Yeddyurappa was a MP, not a MLA, and since he had no information on tax collection, he seeks a White Paper on every issue, the CM shot back.
The government will take up work on the North-South and East-West signal-free elevated corridors in Bengaluru city to decongest traffic, which would cost Rs 18,000 cr. A project report is being prepared in this regard.