Karnataka budget 2023: CM Siddaramaiah says ₹52,000 crore to be spent for five key poll promises

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₹2,50,933 crores, a capital expenditure of ₹54,374 crore and loan repayment of ₹22,441 crores is expected. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said approximately ₹52,000 crore would be spent annually for the five key poll 'guarantees' and it is expected to benefit 1.3 crore families. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah informed that government will provide an additional financial aid of ₹4,000 to ₹5,000 a month to each household through the five poll guarantees promised in the Congress party's manifesto.  The five 'guarantees' include free bus travel for women, 200 units of free electricity, 10 kilograms of free foodgrains to the poor, ₹2,000 for the woman head of the house and unemployment benefit of up to ₹3,000.

According to some political analysts, these pre-poll promises found resonance with the electorate leading to the Congress' resounding victory in the Assembly elections. In the polls to the 224-member Assembly, the Congress bagged 135 seats, while the BJP secured 66 and the JD(S) 19. Siddaramaiah created a record of sorts by presenting his 14th budget in the Assembly as Finance Minister, surpassing the mark of late Ramakrishna Hegde, a former CM, who had presented 13 budgets.

The Congress has announced this promise as their first one in January this year. The party then told, “To help Kannadigas fight the onslaught of price rise and save up for essentials such as food, education for children, and healthcare, the Congress on coming to power would provide 200 units electricity, free of cost, to every household in Karnataka. In its second poll promise, the party announced, “Under this scheme each housewife in the state is promised Rs.

2,000 per month. if the party is voted to power. The scheme - which would