New CM Basavaraj Bommai announces scholarship for children of farmers

Bengaluru: On the first day in office as the new Chief Minister Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai announced several welfare scheme setting tone for his government. The welfare steps include scholarship for children of farmers at a cost of Rs 1000 crore per annum.

Bommai, after holding a cabinet meeting, announced that a scholarship scheme for children of agriculturists has been introduced as per his vision to help students from agrarian families to pursue higher education.

He asserted that his government would pursue pro-people policies and work for the welfare of farmers, poor, downtrodden, oppressed, backward communities, women and children.

Bommai also announced hike in old age pension under Sandhya Suraksha scheme from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 which would cost the government exchequer an additional Rs 863.52 crore and benefit 35.98 lakh beneficiaries.

Widow pension has also been increased from Rs 600 to Rs 800. This would cost the government an additional Rs. 414 crore. There are 17.25 lakh beneficiaries under the scheme. Similarly, financial assistance for "Divyang" (physically handicapped) people has been hiked from Rs. 600 to Rs. 800 per month and will impose an extra burden of Rs.90 crore on the government. There are 3.66 lakh beneficiaries.

The new CM explained that these measures have been taken considering inflation.

"I have directed officials to focus on time-bound implementation of development programs with interdepartmental coordination. "Our government will focus on maintaining fiscal discipline through efficient utilisation of resources and reducing expenditure amidst pandemic. The officials will have to work with team spirit to deliver a reliable, responsible, transparent and efficient administration," Bommai said.

He spoke at the meeting of State officials he chaired as soon as he took oath as chief minister.

"Administration is a continuous process. It has to function incessantly in any situation. I have taken a strong decision

of providing an efficient, honest and pro people administration. I am making a point of this despite being aware of the difficulties in implementing them," he said. "Cabinet decisions will have to be implemented in a time-bound manner. Delay leads to corruption and corruption is equal to cancer in governance. Therefore, the government's

decisions will have to be implemented within the stipulated period." "It should be our priority to manage the current flood situation, Covid containment and management in the State," he told the bureaucrats.

He also directed every department to cut down on unnecessary expenditure at the end of the year and instructed the Chief Secretary to issue guidelines in this regard. Ranking system will be adopted to assess the performance of all departments, Bommai said.