Karnataka Budget | No vision of preparedness for future pandemics

Although expectations were high on health allocation this year, especially after the State’s experience in battling the pandemic, the Budget for 2021–22 has been disappointing, both in terms of allocation and planning for future pandemics. Although Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa admitted in his Budget speech on Monday that the panic created by COVID-19 could not be forgotten and that the State was preparing to deal with a second wave, the overall allocation for the health sector has remained the same as last year’s — at 4% (₹11,908 crore) of the total Budget.