Steps taken to check drugs mafia in state: DCM
Mangaluru, August 10: Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwar said that the state government has take steps to identify the drugs sales racket to eradicate drugs menace in the state, for which a campaign was started across the state.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, on his way to Bhatkal, the Deputy Chief Minister said that some African nationals who came to India and settled in Karnataka. But many of them do not have visa and visa of some them were expired. Now, the department has been tracing such persons and trying to get in touch with those countries to send them back home. In the same way, some of the Bangladeshi immigrants do not have valid documents and those people would also be sent home, he said.
Loan waiver to help farmers
It was the responsibility of the state government to avoid the farmers suicide cases and protect their families. In this view, the government has given priority to waive of farm loans. Farmers suicide cases were common in many states. But the central government was not showing interest to waive of the loans availed from nationalized banks. As the state government was not getting the financial assistance from the central government for loan waiver scheme, the state government has to bear the huge financial burden, he said.
-
On Shiroor swamiji’s death, Parameshwar said that the investigation is being conducted into the death. But the department would not make any problems for the religious rituals and pooja rituals of the mutt, he clarified.
-
Various pro-people programmes like Anna Bhagya, Shadi Bhagya, Ksheera Bhagya and others introduced by the previous Congress government would continue in this coalition government, he said.
-
On Siddaramaiah’s letter to the Chief Minister, he said that being a responsible leader, there was nothing wrong in Siddaramaiah writing a letter to the Chief Minister. There was no meaning in blowing this issue out of proportion, he said.
North Karnataka is not neglected
Parameshwar said that the government has reserved funds for the development of North Karnataka in the Budget. The funds were allocated to each district and taluk as per the report of the Dr Nanjundappa Committee, he said.
-
The government has recommended the 6th Pay Commission to hike the salaries of police personnel. Around 12,000 back-lag posts were already recruited. According Auradkar Committee report, the government would think of increasing the salary and allowances of the police personnel, he said.
-
The investigation into the Gauri Lankesh murder case was come to final stage. Shortly, all details would be disclosed, he added.
-
On Congress debacle in the last election, Parameshwar said that the reasons for the humiliating defeat for the Congress despite giving good governance were being discussed internally. In this issue, the statements of other party leaders were not the opinion of the party. Their statements were their personal opinions, Parameshwar said about MLC Bhoje Gowda’s statement.
Former ministers B Ramanath Rai and Pramod Madhwaraj, MLA Harish Kumar, mayor Bhaskar Moily, former MLA JR Lobo, Congress leaders GA Bava, Shahul Hameed and others were present.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka Assembly passes bill on Palace Grounds amid opposition protest
Bengaluru, Mar 6 (PTI): The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, reaffirming state ownership over 472 acres and 16 guntas of land here, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
During the discussion, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state government would have to provide Rs 200 crore worth of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) for each acre of land, which means that for 15 acres, Rs 3,000 crore worth of TDR would be issued.
“If we accept it, then this 2-km stretch of road will become the costliest road in the world. If we accept it then how are we going to develop the city in later stages? How will you carry out development works?” asked Patil.
He also pointed out that this question was raised not only under the Congress government but also during the previous BJP regime.
However, the BJP-led cabinet has opposed the project.
ALSO READ: Budget session: Law Min. HK Patil introduces Microfinance bill in Karnataka assembly
“Suppose we agree to it then, what will be the valuation of the 472 acres? It will be lakhs and lakhs of crores of rupees. Can we accept?” Patil wondered.
The Minister said the government had previously exercised its executive powers to issue an ordinance, which was approved by the Governor. Now the government is bringing a bill with two amendments.
“In this bill, we have made provisions either to develop or drop the road development work,” Patil explained.
However, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and BJP MLA Arvind Bellad opposed the move, alleging that the government was targetting Yaduveer Krishna Datta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysuru royal family, and the BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency out of political vendetta.
“We talk of 472 acres of Mysuru Maharaja but here there are many Maharajas who too own 400 acres, 500 acres and thousands of acres of land, which is known to everyone,” Bellad said.
He slammed the Congress government, saying political power should not be misused for personal vendetta.
“Why (the then Deputy Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah brought the law in 1996 pertaining to the Bangalore Palace? Why are you setting eyes on the Bangalore Palace?” he asked.
Vijayendra charged that Wadiyar won the election on BJP ticket so the state government realised that it should acquire it.
“This bill has been brought for political vengeance. We are not discussing whether Rs 3,000 crore is exorbitant or not but the moment Yaduveer became MP, the state government woke up. You should be ashamed. This house should not be used for political vendetta,” he said.
Intervening, Minister Priyank Kharge said Vijayendra should not have raised it because the intention behind building the road was noble.
According to him, the BJP too had the same plan when it was in power.
He sought to know whether thousands of crores of rupees be spent on a road which should have cost significantly less.
In response, BJP MLA B A Basavaraj (Byrathi) said issuing TDR will not be a burden on the state government and appealed to the ruling Congress to reconsider its stance.
Minister Ramalinga Reddy too explained that the Karnataka government acquired the entire land way back in 1996.
The Mysuru royal family went to the High Court, which gave ruling in favour of the state government. The royal family then approached the Supreme Court, where the case is still going on, the Minister pointed out.
“The final judgment is pending in the SC to decide whether the acquisition was right or wrong. If the SC says it’s the royal family’s property then let it be so. If the order is in the state government’s favour then we can take a decision. The bill is only about it,” Reddy explained.
Speaker U T Khader then called for a voice vote and the bill was passed by the Assembly amidst opposition BJP’s discontent.
