Growth, in challenging times

The State Budget for 2020-21 has been the cynosure of all eyes, given the current state of affairs in the economy following the COVID-19 crisis. There were conjectures on how the government planned to provide relief in such challenging times. The Union Budget had given fair consideration to Karnataka during this fiscal, announcing the inclusion of several major cities of the State as beneficiaries of the Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) as well as being identified for the AMRUT project. The Union Budget’s biggest benefaction was the augmentation of urban mobility in Karnataka, with funding announced for Bengaluru Metro Phase 2A and 2B projects and appending the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway under the flagship projects schemes. These allocations notwithstanding, there were several unfulfilled demands from various quarters that were eventually passed on to the State Budget. Presenting the Budget in the Assembly on March 8, the Chief Minister emphasised several key sectors while refraining from increasing tax rates or levying new taxes. Bengaluru garnered significant attention with ₹7,795 crore allocated for comprehensive development of the city. Approximately ₹850 crore was budgeted for the suburban rail project while ensuring that the doubling of Yeshwanthpur-Channasandra and Baiyappanahalli-Hosur lines would be completed by 2023.