Cheaper alcohol, Rs 200 cap on movie tickets: Karnataka Budget thrills

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented a people friendly budget on Wednesday, proposing to do away with Value Added Tax (VAT) on wine, beer, and hard alcohol; putting a cap on movie tickets, and allocating Rs 100 crore to Namma Canteens in Bengaluru. 

The people-friendly budget comes ahead of the crucial 2018 Assembly Elections to garner support.

In the 2017-18 Budget, Siddaramaiah proposed to do away with VAT on wine, beer, wine and hard liquor, which will make alcohol cheaper in the state. According to a report by Business Today, the administrative fee of Rs 2 per litre on export and Re 1 per litre on spirit (excluding ethanol) was suggested to be removed in the Budget.  

He also proposed to levy a Rs 200 cap on movie tickets, much to the furore of cinema and multiplex owners, but it was another reason for his people to cheer as it will not allow movie ticket prices to go beyond the set limit. 

He allotted Rs 100 crore to set up 198 Namma Canteens in Bengaluru, inspired from Amma canteens set up by late Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa, which will provide breakfast at Rs 5 and lunch and dinner for Rs 10. 

Rice quota under the 'Anna Bhagya scheme' was also increased to 7 kg from 5 kg.