Karnataka House committee seeks more privileges for legislators

Bengaluru: Providing lounge facility at Delhi airport, the hassle-free arrangement at toll collection centers on national highways, darshan and lodging facility at Tirupati, are some of the recommendations made by a house panel, tabled in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

The Committee on Privileges in its report has made recommendations to the government for necessary action under various departments including Personnel and Administrative Reforms, PWD, Muzrai (Endowment), Backward Classes Welfare, Minority Welfare, and Women and Child Development Departments.

The committee is headed by BJP MLA S A Ravindranath.

Seeking more reforms regarding the protocol that need to be followed while organising government programmes, the report recommends compulsory training for local level officials regarding the protocol that needs to be followed concerning legislators.

It also calls for priority to be given to local legislators at programmes and meetings, seeks for arrangements to be made at Delhi airport lounge for legislators from the state to take rest, single policy in appointment of gunman without any discrimination, and to ensure MLAs inaugurate projects up to Rs 5 crore in their constituency.

The panel in its report has sought for solving all issues faced by legislators at toll collection centres on national highways, and increasing the number of FASTag given to MLAs from one to two among others.

It recommends making arrangements with regards to darshan and lodging at Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, also necessary arrangements be made as per protocol when the legislators visit prominent temples in neighbouring states.

Among the other recommendations, according to the report, legislators should be given the powers to select beneficiaries for various schemes under the Backward Classes Welfare, also Minority Welfare Haj and Wakf departments, which is currently enjoyed by the officials.