App based crop survey to be taken up in Karnataka, says minister Krishna Byre Gowda
Bengaluru, Jun 28: The Karnataka cabinet has decided to take up 'app based crop survey' in an organised way to ascertain the exact acreage under various crops in the state during both kharif and rabi seasons, Rural development minister Krishna Byre Gowda said Friday.
The minister said Rs 90 crore has been approved for this purpose.
Byre Gowda noted that as per NITI Ayog, no other state in the country has taken up such accurate crop survey.
"Under this crops being cultivated by farmers in about 2.20 crore plots in the state will be surveyed using a mobile based app which is GPS enabled and the updating has to be done by visiting that specific plot, also uploading photos," the minister said.
The survey will result in government having actual information on acreage under various crops that can be used while claiming relief from the Centre during natural calamities like drought or floods, he told reporters after the cabinet meeting.
Private surveyors, who are at least tenth pass, will be used for the survey and they would be paid Rs 10 per farmer's plot.
Gowda pointed out that crop survey has been done during the last 2 years on a preliminary basis.
Other decisions taken by the cabinet Friday include approval for the state's share of Rs 546 crore for this year under the Raita Suraksha Pradhan Mantri Fasal BimaYojana and tender process that have taken place for ten clusters under this programme for both kharif and rabi seasons.
All preparations were on to implement the programme by the agriculture and horticulture departments, he said.
The cabinet also discussed the demand for increasing reservation for ScheduledTribes from 3 per cent to 7.5 per cent in jobs and education sector.
The chief secretary has been asked examine the ways to do it and modalities that need to be followed and provide information during the next cabinet meeting, the minister said.
"Whether a committee has to be formed or a commission has to be formed to do it- is one matter.
The second is as there is 50 per cent bar on reservation, whether it can be done within the limit or can we cross that limit and its effects.. all these matters will be examined by chief secretary, based on which we will go ahead," he said.
On government's decision to go in for cloud seeding, the minister said preparations were on and certain approvals were awaited from the central government and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
It is likely to be taken up by second week of July, according to the minister.
"Mysuru and Hubbali will be two centres for cloud seeding from where aircraft for this purpose will operate, and seeding will be based on availability of clouds," he added.
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Justice Nagarathna calls for creation of judicial reforms commission to reduce pendency in courts
Bengaluru (PTI): Justice B V Nagarathna of the Supreme Court on Saturday called for the creation of a judicial reforms commission to reduce mounting pendency in the courts, saying systemic incentives across stakeholders were contributing to delays in justice delivery.
She was speaking at the Supreme Court Bar Association's (SCBA) first National Conference on the theme "Reimagining judicial governance: strengthening institutions for democratic justice" here.
Nagarathna, who was part of the panel session addressing "From Pendency to Prompt Justice: Rethinking Justice Delivery in Indian Courts," said, this reforms commission must have membership not only from the judiciary of the Supreme Court, the High Court, as well as the District judiciary, but also have members from the Bar, Attorney General, Solicitor General, and also certain members representing the Bar at the institutional level, such as the Bar President, and from the government side to enable an inter-institutional dialogue on reducing pendency.
She reflected that, from the point of view of various stakeholders, a litigant gains from the status quo, to proceed to prolong proceedings.
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"A lawyer or an advocate loves adjournments and postponement because he/she benefits from per appearance and extended timelines. A government department reduces bureaucratic risk by appealing rather than accepting defeat.
"A judge, and particularly a trial judge, is always acting with caution because he/she is confronted with appellate reversal, and therefore he/she prefers procedural caution rather than having an aggressive docket control. Each of these decisions is individually rational, but how does it help the system? It is only leading to systemic delay," she added.
In order to break this equilibrium, Justice Nagarathna said that what is required is institutional interventions through a judicial commission to reduce pendency, rather than merely exhorting better conduct from judges, adherence to procedural timelines, asking advocates not to seek adjournments, urging the government to reduce litigation, or expecting courts to function round the clock and judges not to take leave.
On pendency, the judge questioned the inclusion of defective filings in court statistics, suggesting that such cases should not be counted until they are procedurally ready for hearing.
She also underlined the role of the government as the "largest generator of litigation", noting that officials tend to file appeals to avoid scrutiny, even in cases where disputes could be settled earlier. This, she said, results in cases travelling through multiple judicial levels unnecessarily.
"The government publicly expresses concern about judicial backlog, while simultaneously feeding that backlog through relentless litigation," she observed.
Justice Nagarathna further claimed judicial capacity is constrained by inadequate public investment, including delays in appointment of judges, lack of infrastructure and insufficient use of technology.
Among the measures suggested, she called for improved case management, curbs on unnecessary adjournments, adoption of technology, prioritisation of cases, promotion of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, and creation of specialised benches.
She also urged advocates to adhere to professional and ethical standards, litigants to avoid frivolous appeals, and the government to adopt a practical litigation policy and ensure timely funding and appointments in the judiciary.
