Karnataka govt forms fifth State Finance Commission
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has constituted the fifth State Finance Commission, which has been tasked with coming out with recommendations on the division and allocation of resources after reviewing the financial position of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Panchayat Raj institutions.
Headed by former MP C Narayanaswamy, the panel will have retired IAS officer Mohamed Sanaulla and retired Controller in the State Accounts Department R S Phonde as members.
The commission will review the financial position of the zilla panchayats, taluk panchayats, gram panchayats, municipal corporations, city municipal councils, town municipal councils and town panchayats, a government order said.
It will make recommendations to determine the principles, which should govern the distribution between the state government and various ULBs and panchayats of the net proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees leviable by the government, which may be divided and allocated between them to their respective shares of such proceeds.
It will also determine the taxes, duties, tolls and fees which may be assigned to, or appropriated by the ULBs and panchayats.
The panel will look into the Grant-in-aid given to these bodies from the consolidated fund of the state and the measures needed to improve their financial position, examine and give suggestions on the extent to which and the manner in which the resources available to the local bodies could best be utilised for meeting the expenditure of these bodies.
It will make a detailed analysis on repayment of loans and advances extended by the government from time to time to the local bodies to make suitable recommendation for repayment of government dues and the possibility of adjusting these dues against future devolution of revenues from government to these bodies.
''In making its recommendations the Commission shall have regard to the resources of the State Government and the demands thereon on account of expenditure of civil administration, debt servicing, development and other committed expenditure,'' the order said.
The Commission will have to furnish its report by February 28, 2024.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
