CM Siddaramaiah meets Governor who sought report on MUDA 'scam'
Bengaluru, Jul 24: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and held discussions, official sources said.
The meeting gains significance following the Governor recently seeking a detailed report from the Chief Secretary regarding alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), which involves plots given to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi.
However, an official said the Chief Minister met the Governor to discuss pending bills.
The meeting came on a day when the issue rocked both Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Council.
Opposition BJP on Wednesday announced that it would stage "day-and-night" dharna in both Legislative Assembly and Council over not allowing discussion on the scam.
The government on July 14 constituted a single member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice P N Desai to probe the charges.
The judicial inquiry into illegalities in MUDA will cover the period between 2006 and July 15, 2024, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil on Wednesday told the Assembly highlighting the terms of reference for the inquiry commission.
Terms of reference for the inquiry commission have also been given, and it has been asked to complete the probe in six months and submit a report.
Patil said, "the inquiry will look into -- How many layouts were formed by MUDA; How much land was used to form layouts without land acquisition and by denotification; How were landowners compensated for their land that was used without acquisition or by denotification; Was such compensation in accordance with law"
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Karnataka launches India’s first digital grievance system for gig workers
Bengaluru: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, the Karnataka government has launched a digital grievance redressal system for gig workers to provide structured support and protection to platform-based workers.
According to The Hindu, the system, developed by the Karnataka Platform-based Gig Workers’ Board in collaboration with the Department of e-Governance, allows workers to file complaints through the Integrated Public Grievance Redressal System (IPGRS).
Gig workers can raise issues related to pay, working conditions, and platform-specific disputes. Complaints will be routed to the Internal Dispute Resolution Committees (IDRCs) of respective platforms and are expected to be resolved within a defined timeframe. This is expected to bring transparency and legal recourse for a workforce that has so far operated without a formal dispute resolution framework.
Under The Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act and Rules, every aggregator platform must constitute an Internal Dispute Resolution Committee (IDRC). Platforms such as Namma Yatri and Yulu have already integrated their IDRC contact details with the government portal.
Around 12 lakh gig workers have been identified in the state, and a unique identification system is being developed to remove duplicate entries. Officials said welfare schemes are also being designed based on type of work, working hours, and contribution.
Labour Minister Santosh Lad said that Karnataka, technology capital of the country, is leveraging this potential for worker welfare as well. “By launching this system, we are ensuring that the gig economy is no longer an informal space, but a structured one where every worker’s voice is heard,” he said.
“The schemes will vary based on the type of platforms. For example, cab rides are mostly undertaken by men whereas urban domestic activity is undertaken mostly by women. It may also be based on the contribution made, and the quantum of gig work done by a gig worker. Some gig workers work for more than eight hours while some may work on a few gigs. So, work load, nature of work, and time period of work could vary,” TH quoted G. Manjunath, Additional Labour Commissioner and CEO of the Board as saying.
“It has to be scientifically structured based on their effort and labour. We are working with experts, including academicians from Briston University, King’s College, and IISc, and other stake holders, including board members,” he said.
Officials added that aggregator platforms will be required to contribute 1 per cent towards worker welfare, with implementation beginning July 5.
