In his address to the joint session of the legislature, governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot on Friday suggested the state’s economy has bounced back from the slowdown induced by the Covid-19 pandemic and that the government has achieved 91% of its revenue collection target by January 2023.
Gehlot said in January alone, Karnataka’s tax revenue saw an increase of 21% as against January 2022. Karnataka is expected to eclipse the revenue target of Rs 1. 3 lakh crore set for this fiscal.
Gehlot said the state government has laid heavy emphasis on improving infrastructure in Bengaluru city and that it is spending Rs 8,000 crore on the development of roads, storm water drains, flyovers, and other public utilities.
“Action has been taken to construct a 100m wide, 8-lane Peripheral Ring Road from Tumakuru Road to Ballari Road and Old Madras Road to Hosur Road. Work on Benglauru’s suburban rail project is also in progress,” the governor said.
The governor said expanding the Metro rail network is also a priority. “While Yelachenahalli-Silk Institute and Mysuru Road Kengeri stretches have already been completed, the new 15. 8km stretch between Byappanahalli and Whitefield will be commissioned next month,” Gehlot said.
He said the government has also been focusing onrural development and is increasing the quality of life of farmers and other downtrodden people through various programmes. “During the current fiscal, crop loans worth Rs 15,066 crore have been disbursed to 20lakh farmers at 0% interest. Until January 17, 32 lakh people have been enrolled under the Yashaswini Yojana and treatment facilities have begun,” he said.
The state has provided jobs to 50 lakh people under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme with an outlay of Rs 6,000 crore. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, 35. 5 lakh households have been supplied piped water, he said.
He said monuments built by the Hoysalas in Belur, Halebeedu, and Somanathapura have made the provisional list of world heritage sites, and a dossier has been prepared and submitted to a Unesco committee for inclusion in the final list.
