Karnataka CM holds meeting with Congress MLAs for third straight day
Bengaluru, Aug 9: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday held discussion with in-charge Ministers and legislators from various districts for the third consecutive day, and assured them of addressing their concerns and releasing funds for development works in the coming days.
He held a meeting with them regarding development of respective constituencies, grants, and preparation for Lok Sabha elections, according to official sources.
These meetings are significance amid reports of discontent brewing within the ruling party regarding development work in constituencies and the functioning of the government and its ministers.
Today's interaction with MLAs from eight districts -- Ramanagara, Mandya, Hassan, Kodagu, Davangere, Bengaluru Rural, Chamarajanagara and Chikkaballapura -- separately, was the third consecutive day of such meetings chaired by the Chief Minister.
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Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar was also present at the meetings.
On Monday, he had met MLAs from Tumakuru, Yadgir, Chitradurga, Bagalkot, Ballari and Dharwad districts. While on Tuesday he met legislators from Raichur, Vijayapura, Koppal, Belagavi, Haveri and Kalaburagi districts.
According to official and party sources, the MLAs discussed with Siddaramaiah regarding delay in completion of ongoing projects, allocation of funds to their constituencies, and about fulfillment of promises made to the people locally ahead of polls, other than five guarantee schemes.
The Chief Minister is said to have explained to MLAs about implementation of five 'guarantee schemes' (poll promises) and the financial implications it will have on taking up major developmental projects this year.
However, he has assured that works which need to be taken on priority, will be taken up, and maintained that release of funds for developmental works, will be done in a phased manner.
Siddaramaiah is also learnt to have asked MLAs to approach him if there are any issues and not to air grievances in public, and sought their cooperation.
The meeting gains significance amid brewing discontent within the ruling party, with as many as 30 legislators reportedly having written to Siddaramaiah and the party leadership recently, expressing concern over non-implementation of development works in their constituencies and functioning of certain ministers.
Several legislators are said to be miffed and have complained that they had not been able to get work done in their constituencies, and have not been granted transfers (of government servants) as requested. They are said to have expressed unhappiness in the letter regarding some ministers, alleging that they were not cooperating with them.
The Congress Legislature Party meeting held subsequently, last month, also witnessed scenes of discontent, with senior MLA B R Patil threatening to resign, citing "self-respect".
The behaviour and conduct of certain ministers has upset some legislators, Patil had said, as he warned that their fight would continue, if it is not corrected.
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Karnataka procured 16 lakh expired RT-PCR kits during Covid wave: D’Cunha commission
Bengaluru: Justice John Michael D’Cunha’s committee has uncovered significant irregularities in the procurement of medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic, revealing that more than 16 lakh RT-PCR test kits purchased by Karnataka in 2022 under the BJP-led government were either expired or close to their expiry dates.
After irregularities in PPE kit purchases, ventilators have also come under the scanner, with the report highlighting discrepancies amounting to Rs 173.26 crore in purchases made by the Medical Education Department.
The commission has also found that the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd. (KSMSCL) that cancelled a supply order for one lakh Rapid Antigen (RAT) kits placed with a Singapore-based company in March 2020 — for delay in supplying — has not recovered the Rs 6.99 crore paid to the company towards the order, as reported by The Hindu on Thursday.
According to the 279-page report on procurements made by the KSMSCL that is compiled in part IV of the report, a payment of Rs 148.84 crore was made by KSMSCL to various suppliers and firms towards procurement of RT-PCR kits from 2020 to 2022.
The Commission’s report, as cited by the publication, stated that there were records indicating procurement of RT-PCR kits, RNA extraction kits and Viral transport media (VTM) of a total value of Rs 106.25 crore during the pandemic in Karnataka. However, according to the report, this procurement was made without administrative approval.
“Since the KSMSCL has failed to discharge its obligation and responsibility, the loss caused to the State exchequer to this extent is required to be replenished by the erring officers and/or officials of the KSMSCL as well as the officers and/or officials of the consignee designated laboratories who received the consignment,” the report said, pegging the losses due to expired kits supplied by companies at Rs 3.11 crore.
In response to the report’s findings, state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticised the saffron party for profiting from the pandemic. He promised accountability for the irregularities involving PPE kits and ventilators, stating that those responsible would face punishment.
