Budget focuses on welfare of all: MB Patil

Bengaluru: Large and Medium Industries minister MB Patil has termed the budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday as the inclusive one. He opined that the budget focuses on the welfare of all sections of society including women, farmers, marginalised communities, and minorities. The budget has also exposed the lapses and fiscal indiscipline of the previous BJP’s tenure, he slammed.

‘Our government has walked the talk about the implementation of assured five guarantees and has provided Rs.52,000 Crore for these programmes in the budget’, he justified. Claiming, Siddaramaiah knows how to generate revenue he lashed out at BJP. “The BJP which is rejected by the people has been further frustrated by seeing our budget”, he remarked. “Earlier, the BJP government had called tenders for several irrigation works without keeping the required funds. The budget presented by Siddaramaiah has exposed such lapses,” Patil said.

Reasonable Budget

Providing single-use dialyzers and an increase in the number of dialysis centres is a great boon to our people. Single-use dialyzers will help in the control of infections and is more hygienic. ‘Brain health initiative’ is a very good idea as there has been a huge increase in mental health issues after Covid. Asha Kirana to provide cataract care and spectacles in some of the districts is a very welcome move.

Adding more free CT/MRI centres as a PPP model in district hospitals is a great idea. Establishment of Digital Health Society to implement Ayushman Bharath Digital Mission is also a welcome move. Funds for ongoing construction of medical colleges and hospitals will help us train more doctors in the state. All in all, a reasonable budget considering the fact that this government has been in power for only a few weeks and we do hope there is an aggressive implementation of all the budgeted proposals.

Attention to health care development is good

The emphasis on healthcare in the State Budget is encouraging, and it's a matter of pride that Karnataka will establish the first-ever public hospital exclusively dedicated to organ transplantation. Furthermore, the Government's attention to skill development in the healthcare field is commendable, considering the urgent requirement for well-trained laboratory technicians, nurses, and medical staff. The Chief Minister has presented an inclusive budget .The progressive approach of the Government will bring advantages to the citizens of the State by ensuring primary and tertiary healthcare is affordable, accessible, and available."

Encouraging developments for education sector

It is highly encouraging to see the state budget's strong focus on education by allocating 11% of the total budget to the sector. Research has shown that good infrastructure encourages students to attend school more regularly. Schools are considered a “second home” for children as this is where they spend the majority of their waking hours of the day. Hence the improvement to school infrastructure will go a long way in imparting quality education to all students.

The combination of adequate sanitation facilities and education is critical for securing good health, safety, learning, and overall development of children. Hence the initiative for constructing new toilets in schools and colleges is laudable. Amidst rising awareness and recognition of the importance of healthier diets for kids, the decision to provide Egg/peanut chikki/banana to students is also noteworthy as a child’s diet directly affects their ability to learn, focus and concentrate.

Additionally, setting up innovation labs in colleges will enable students to have hands on experience with technology is the need of the hour. The overall implementation of all these measures will go a long way in enhancing the quality of education that will ultimately lead to social equity.

Balanced budget

The budget provides a much-needed impetus towards empowering the education sector. The budget has taken the very important initiative to address learning deficiencies among children as this has been the most critical task for students after the pandemic. The announcement on improving nutrition and infrastructure is welcome as children from schools will find greater motivation to attend classes and benefit in terms of better health.

The initiative to train staff in English is also a positive step as progress in the current scenario is linked to one’s ability to be good in the language. The integration of tech by setting up innovation labs in colleges and much more are thoughtful decisions to move towards uniform quality of education across the state. All in all, this is a balanced budget for the Indian education sector.