Karnataka cabinet decides to conduct budget session of legislature in Feb 2024

The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to hold the budget session of the state legislature in February next year.

Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the cabinet decided to conduct the next legislature and budget session in February. The date will be decided by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who will announce it anytime soon.

The cabinet also had a discussion on bringing back the funds deposited outside the state. It authorised the CM to form a cabinet sub-committee to identify the funds deposited elsewhere and bring them back to the state treasury. In this context, the minister said two officials were suspended after it was found that they deposited Rs 56 crore in a bank in Mangaluru. Also, in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department 600 crore was kept outside the state. “When we can identify Rs 600 crore in RDPR alone, there must be many more,” Patil said.

The cabinet authorised the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike to recover the property tax dues from central and state government properties under the one time settlement scheme. It was pending for very long time. “From 448 properties alone, the BBMP is estimated to get Rs 234 crore. We have lots of other properties. If estimated, it will go up to thousands of crores. With this one time settlement scheme we will mobilise lot of resources,” the Minister explained.

The cabinet gave its nod to procure 300 electric buses including 75 air conditioned and 225 non AC buses for the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). Similarly, approval was given to the North West Road Transport Corporation to purchase 450 non-ac electrical buses on the Gross Cost Contract (GSS) basis. In addition, the Department of Urban Land Transport (DULT) will purchase 20 non-AC electricity buses under the State Transport Fund instead of 20 mini electric buses.

Reservation system will be followed in the outsourced government jobs as well, the Minister said. “There was no reservation system in the outsource system but for the first time the government has decided that the reservation policy including the Hyderabad Karnataka reservation system will be followed. This has been decided to bring in social justice,” Patil explained.

The cabinet decided to authorise Chief Minister Siddaramaiah regarding setting up 100 Grama Nayayalaya (village courts) in Karnataka. The panel will look into the law policy, criminal justice, civil justice system and the facilities to be provided in these Grama Nyayalayas. Approval was given to earmark Rs 120 crore to provide nutritious food to the families of 11 backward tribes including Koraga, Jenu Kuraba, Soliga and Siddi throughout the year.