What did women's get from Siddaramaiah's budget?

With assembly elections round the corner, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented four-hour long Budget on Friday. This is Congress government's last budget before the polls and Siddaramaiah's 13th as Finance Minister. Siddaramaiah began his speech after the Supreme Court verdict on Cauvery water dispute.

An exemption from payment of full fees to all girl students taking admission in Government Pre-University, Degree and Post Graduation courses. By this 3.7 lakh number of students will be benefitted at a cost of Rs.95 crore. To strengthen reproductive and child health services, to reduce the current rate of infant and maternal mortality, with the assistance of Women and Child Development Department and use of better technical services. Rs.10 crore grant to set up 100 mobile Anganwadi Centers/Crèches in areas of working of construction labourers to take care of their children. Interest free loan of Rs. 50,000 to 2,503 supervisors through Karnataka Women Development Corporation and Rs.1,000 per month for fuel expenses.

Rs.1 crore grant to NGOs at divisional level to establish Ashraya Centre to provide care and protection to HIV/AIDS infected women who are neglected by their families and societies. Increase of limit of loan from 1 lakh to 3 lakh, subsidy at 30% of the loan amount, income limit of the family to Rs.1.5 lakh under "Udyogini Scheme" for special category and general category and age limit extended from 45 years to 55 years for women of all classes.

Rs.2 crore grants to build a positive mindset about women, safe atmosphere for women and spread awareness about gender amongst Government employees/Community Policing Volunteers/Resident Welfare Association, students of schools and colleges, especially to boys. A grant of Rs.1 crore to commence a comprehensive information resources portal for women to communicate essential information. Commencing of transit hostels for women coming to Bengaluru for the purposes of interview for employment, entrance examination etc. Preference in public procurements for Self Help Groups/Representative of Women Entrepreneurs

To empower landless Devadasis identified by Women and Child Development Department, priority will be given in sanctioning loan and subsidy under Land Purchase and Ganga Kalyana schemes. Enhancement of incentive amount to Rs.3 lakh for a Scheduled Caste boy marrying a girl from another caste and Rs.5 lakh for a Scheduled Caste girl marrying a boy from another caste. In the same model, enhancement of incentive of Rs.5 lakh for the marriage of children of Devadasis. Start-up Loan Facility scheme for women will be implemented at a cost of Rs.15 crore through Minority Development Corporation.

Opening of 5 pre-matric Women Hostels, 2 Model Residential Schools, 25 student hostels, 10 working women hostels, 4 B.Ed. and D.Ed. English medium, girls Residential Colleges and Resource Centre. Enhancement of admission strength of 25 post-matric hostels by 25 seats each. Mutual admission at all pre and post-matric girls hostels. Commencement of well equipped separate women sports hostels with all types of facilities in 5 districts of the state. Under "Mukhyamantri Anila Bhagya Yojana", free gas connection with twin burners stove and two refills to 30 lakh beneficiaries at an expenditure of Rs.1,350 crore.

Enhancement of the pension amount being given under Social Security Monthly Pension Schemes like Destitute Widow Pension, Manaswini to Rs.600. Construction of separate toilet and dressing room for women at all public buildings by amending the Public Works Code. Action to formulate distinct schemes to provide state of the art skill to continue in IT employment for women who have returned to duties after completion of maternity leave or study l