Chennai sources stated that with the Lok Sabha elections scheduled this year, the State budget is likely to spell out sops for farmers and it is expected that it may have some surprise element in store for the middle class and rural masses. Meanwhile Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, who holds the Finance portfolio, will be presenting the budget for 2019-20 on Friday at 10 am, the first for this year and it would be the 8th time he will be presenting a Budget in the Assembly.
Furthermore following the presentation of the budget, the Business Advisory Committee would meet to decide the duration of this session. Apparently contending that he can only give a hint on how the budget has taken shape, Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said the budget will look after all segments including farmers, fishermen, traders and even the underprivileged. ‘’He can give only an outline of the budget and can’t go into the details. It will reflect the pulse of the people”.
Moreover the government is likely to announce annual income support of Rs 6,000 to all farmer families besides employment opportunities for youth and for the middle class and also unveil measures to alleviate rural stress, on par with the interim budget presented on February 1 in the Parliament and the DMK and other opposition parties had boycotted the Governor’s address.
