BENGALURU: The Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill, to facilitate a division of BBMP, was defeated by a combined Opposition in the Legislative Council on Monday, but is likely to be reintroduced in the Legislative Assembly before the end of the ongoing session.
While 28 ruling party members voted in favour of the bill, 30 members belonging to both BJP and Janata Dal (S) voted against it in Legislative Council today.
Late in the afternoon, Chairman D.H. Shankara Murthy said the KMC (Amendment) Bill, which had been stalled in the Council, would be taken up. He said the House had constituted a select committee headed by IT & BT minister S.R. Patil but as it was 90 days passed since the Bill was passed in the Assembly, it got lapsed on July 19. However, since that day was Sunday, the bill had to be passed or rejected today failing which it would be considered as ‘deemed to be passed’ in upper House and it would then go to lower House.
Law and Parliamentary affairs minister T.B. Jayachandra appealed to the Opposition parties to support the amendment bill as it was already debated in detail in the House. Mr V. Somanna, Mr Siddaramanna and Mr Ramachandra Gowda, all of BJP, however, wanted the government to make its stand clear on the report submitted by an
expert committee headed by former chief secretary Mr B.S. Patil, recommending five new corporations and a Greater Bengaluru Authority to replace BBMP for better administration.
Mr Jayachandra said division of had nothing to do with the forthcoming polls to city civic body. This was being done only to the improve administration and provide better infrastructure to the residents. “We are still examining the B.S. Patil report and we will consider suggestions given by the select committee at the time of finalising the report,” he added.
With no unanimity in the sight, the Chairman decided to put the amendment bill to a vote. Tension ran high as four members-Mr Jaggesh, Mr Kota Srinivasa Poojary, Ms Taara Anuradha and Mr Ashwathnaryana Gowda, were not present, but Mr Ashwathnarayana Gowda rushed into the House much to the relief of BJP leaders.
When the amendment bill was put on vote, 28 members voted in favour of it, while 30 members voted against the bill. After taking a count, the Chairman declared that the amendment bill was rejected by the upper House.
‘Welcome Home’ gets cabinet nod
In a move to improve the standards of education, the state cabinet on Monday gave its nod to ‘Welcome Home’ — a scheme aimed at attracting Indian scientists, professors, researchers and technocrats to teach at various institutes across Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting, a senior minister said four schemes — ‘Welcome Home’ for college students, ‘Abhyasa scheme’ for PUC students, ‘Jnana Sangama’ for university and engineering students and ‘Sahabhagitva’ for polytechnic and engineering students, were approved. There is a need for talented teaching staff in the state, he said adding ‘Welcome Home’ will benefit many colleges.
The government has allocated Rs 40 crore to implement ‘Abhyasa scheme’ to improve the quality of learning among PU students. “The Karnataka Examination Authority has been identified as the nodal agency to implement the scheme,” a source said. The Cabinet also allotted Rs 60 crore to complete construction work of Government engineering college campuses in Karwar, Raichur, Ballari and Koppal. To improve infrastructure facilities at Chamundeshwari temple in Mysuru, Rs 70 crore has been allocated.
Other important decisions
- Increase in reservation for women candidates in direct recruitment from 30 per cent to 33 per cent.
- Swachh Bharat Mission will be implemented in all municipal corporations
