Budget evokes mixed response in coastal cities

Budget evokes mixed response in coastal cities

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, March 22, 2012 : The maiden budget, which CM D. V. Sadananda Gowda recently presented, has been termed “populist” by some and “pro-farmer” by others.

Speaking about the budge, Latha Kini, the president of the KCCI, said that VAT reduction on some products is greatly appreciated, but the 5 percent extra VAT on beedies has sounded the death knell of the floundering beedie industry. She also said that the proposal to provide continuous water supply to Mangalore city through public private partnership (PPP) model is also greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

 

Further, she said that the KCCI is also happy about the reduction in diesel tax rate by 1.25 percent, which it had been demanding for a long time. Simultaneously, the Shiradi Ghat problem has not been addressed in a favorable manner, owing to which the economic progress of coastal region will be hindered and the well-equipped New Mangalore Port will not be utilized fully. The budget also does not take into consideration the setting up of the Maritime Board and the fishing harbor at Kulai.

Voicing his opinions about the budget, Prof. G. V. Joshi, the member of the Karnataka State Planning Board, said that the chief minister must be appreciated for his attempts to check inflation by reducing sales tax. The budget also illustrates that the government is prioritizing the increase of agricultural products in Karnataka.

He also said that the State Planning Committee, which had convened a meeting in Bangalore recently, had urged the government to devise methods to increase non tax revenue. Prof. Joshi had urged the CM to appoint a committee to study ways to increase non tax revenue.

Speaking about the budget, Yogish Bhat, the deputy speaker of the Karnataka State Assembly, congratulated the CM for announcing a Jain Vidhya Peeta at the Mangalore University, a veterinary college in Puttur, an oceanarium in Pilikula, a Janapada loka in Pilikula, financial assistance for the Kambala Utsav, Rani Abbakka Bhavan, and many other projects for DK and Mangalore.

Giridhar Prabhu, the former president of KCCI, said that the budget places lifetime tax on motor cabs at 15 percent, which is a bit too much, but might generate required tax revenue for development of roads in Karnataka. He expressed his approval of reduction on stamp duty.

Konkody Padmanabha, the president of Campco, has also expressed his happiness about budget and said that it is a pro farmer budget as it has earmarked funds for find solutions for the yellow leaf disease bothering arecanut farmers, zero interest agricultural loans, research work, diary farming, and so on.

Somanath Nayak, the president of the Nagarika Seva Trust, however, has condemned the proposal to link and divert rivers. He is of the opinion that water can be conserved without diverting rivers by using methods such as rainwater harvesting.