Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Friday that shops and other businesses in Bengaluru, along with ten other corporation areas, will now have permission to operate until 1 am. This decision comes after several requests from trade bodies, including the Hoteliers Association, to extend business hours beyond midnight. Making the big announcement, during his budget speech, CM stated that this move will "further trade and commerce." 

On the other hand, the price of liquor will get expensive as the Karnataka Chief Minister announced a hike in the excise duty on alcohol to boost the sales of India-made liquor. Indian-made liquor, an important source of revenue for the state treasury is subjected to the increased duties for the second time in the past seven months.  Post the move, the tax twitch will line up with those in the neighbouring states.

The Karnataka budget 2024 outlay stood at ₹3.71 lakh crore this year, said the Chief Minister adding that the state economy is expected to grow at 6.6 per cent this financial year.

Announcing to further strengthen the state government's Gruha Rectangular Sni Lakshmi Scheme, part of the five poll promises, CM Siddaramaiah announced the allocation of Rs 28,608 crore for the year 2024-25.

He further claimed that till the end of January, 1.17 crore women have registered under the scheme and so far Rs 11,726 crore has been directly transferred to the accounts of the beneficiaries.

Announcing the budget, Siddaramaiah accused the previous BJP-led state government of "failing to rectify the injustice meted out to the state" in the interim report of the 15th Finance Commission.