Karnataka budget: Rs 5,450 crore released for farm loan waiver scheme so far, says HD Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru: The JD(S)-Congress coalition government in Karnataka has released Rs 5,450 crore so far towards farmers loan waiver scheme, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said on Friday. [caption id=“attachment_5051471” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of HD Kumaraswamy. PTI[/caption] Presenting the ruling coalition’s second budget in the state Assembly, Kumaraswamy, who holds the finance portfolio, said it had benefitted about 12 lakh farmers. He also announced that the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme will be combined with the Aroygya Karnataka scheme, and would be renamed as Ayushman Bharat Karnataka. “Besides 61.5 lakh existing beneficiaries, it would be extended to another 52 lakh people,” Kumaraswamy said. BJP members led by BS Yeddyurappa, who have been disrupting proceedings since the budget session began on Wednesday alleging that the government lacked majority, staged a walkout. Congress members, on their part, held placards, criticising the BJP’s alleged attempt to topple the coalition government. BJP members also protested against Kumaraswamy’s charge that Yeddyurappa had spoken about bribing the Assembly Speaker in an audio clip that was released by the chief minister before the session to back his claim about the saffron party’s toppling game.