Bangalore: The coalition government in the State has achieved a record growth of 24.91 per cent in resource mobilisation in the eights months that it has been in office. This has made available an additional Rs. 2,172.98 crore for welfare programmes and developmental works.

Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who holds the Finance portfolio, told presspersons here on Thursday that the additional funds would be used for schemes launched in connection with the Suvarna Karnataka celebrations. As a Deepavali gift, the Government had extended the free bicycle scheme to boys in high school at an expenditure of Rs. 44.46 crore. It would benefit 2.15 lakh students, he said.

Under the free bicycle scheme announced in the budget, girls from families living below the poverty line and attending high schools are entitled to a free bicycle. Nearly 1.75 lakh schoolgirls are eligible for the scheme and the distribution of bicycles has nearly been completed. The scheme cost the Government Rs. 35.35 crore.

Referring to the high level of resource mobilisation, Mr. Yediyurappa said the days when there were no funds to even meet budgeted expenditure had long gone. The Government was now urging officials to act with speed in implementing all programmes for which funds had been allocated in the budget.

"The officials are still to match the speed at which Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and I have been working. Government orders are yet to be passed for several welfare programmes mentioned in the budget," he said.

Despite a reduction in sales tax following the introduction of the value added tax regime, the departments of Commercial Tax, State Excise, Stamps and Registration and Transport, which were the mainstay in resource mobilisation, had performed exceedingly well after the present government took charge, he said.

Additional revenue

While the Commercial Taxes Department had netted an additional Rs. 881.90 crore compared to the previous year, the Excise Department had earned an additional Rs. 511.69 crore, the Stamps and Registrations Department an additional Rs. 685.70 crore and the Motor Vehicles Department Rs. 93.69 crore, he said.

Mr. Yediyurappa attributed the increase in resource mobilisation to the stringent measures adopted in the collection of taxes and plugging of loopholes to prevent pilferage. "The financial health of the State is excellent and even the Opposition parties have stopped commenting on it," he said. Nearly Rs. 2,000 crore had been released so far for the subsidised loan scheme for farmers. While Rs. 25 crore was spent last year for the supply of subsidised seeds to farmers, Rs. 107 crore would be spent this year on the programme, he said.

Order issued

The Government on Thursday issued an order to implement the Bhagyada Lakshmi Baaramma scheme under which Rs. 10,000 would be deposited in the name of girl children born in families living below the poverty line. The scheme was being implemented from April 1, and 75,000 female babies had been registered so far. The Government would provide Rs. 234 crore for the scheme this year, he said.

The Government would provide Rs. 93 crore for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala scheme, an additional Rs. 110 crore for roads maintained by the Public Works Department, Rs. 100 crore for roads maintained by the Rural Development Department and Rs. 20 crore for the completion of the Gadag-Bagalkot railway gauge conversion work, the Deputy Chief Minister said.

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