From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Mar 24: With the entire country engaged in fighting the spread of the global pandemic, coronavirus (COVID-19), Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has announced a special allocation of Rs. 200 crore to contain the spread of the virus in the State.

He declared that the State Government would be taking a series of steps to prevent the State from entering third stage of the communicable disease.

A sum of Rs 1,000 would be given for 21 lac construction workers who have been finding difficult to get labor and wages owing to total lockdown in the entire State, he said.

Replying to the debate on the State budget, which has been already passed by the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, the Chief Minister also announced a several steps, including waiver of loans under the Badavara Bandu scheme, to provide relief to the poor people.

Yediyurappa announced waiver of loans amounting Rs 14.26 crore benefiting 21,700 street vendors and small traders in urban areas, particularly in Bengaluru, who have been facing a severe hardship in the wake of state-wide lockdown following the spread of corona virus.

He complimented the service of doctors, para-medicals staff and others in handling the COVID-19.

For the benefit of rural poor, the government has decided to daily wages in advance for beneficiaries of the MGNREGA.

Already, it was decided to give April and May months of food items at PDS shops at one go in the first week of April.

Pointing out that 90% of the revenue goes to salaries, pensions and subsidies for school mid-day meals and other schemes, the Chief Minister said a cabinet sub-committee has been formed to study to reduce the committed expenditure.

On the opposition’s charge related to cut in central grants under the GST and other schemes, Yediyurappa said he had written to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking justice to the State in the allocation of funds and she had agreed to correct it.

Congress boycotts Assembly

Meanwhile, the principal Opposition Congress on Tuesday boycotted the Legislative Assembly session opposing the State Government’s attitude on passing the entire State budget instead of seeking a vote-on-account for four months and not adhering to decisions taken at the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting held on Monday.

Speaking to presspersons, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah said all Congress leaders favoured passing of the Finance Bill and against passing other bills without a debated debate.

He had presented 13 state budgets but not once he sought the State legislature’s approval for the entire budget in March.

The Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2020, was passed in the Legislative Assembly, was detrimental to the interest of the SCs, STs and women.

The would not allow growth of leadership among these marginalized groups by reducing the tenure of presidents and vice-presidents of gram, taluk and zilla panchayats from five years to 30 months.

The Bill is aimed at concentration of powers and not decentralization of powers, he alleged.

Though some ruling BJP members expressed reservation on some of the provisions of the Bill, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa stressed the necessity of passing the Bill since the elections are scheduled to be held for GPs in May.

Kumara Bangarappa (BJP) and N Mahesh (BSP) expressed some doubts about the election of the president and vice-president of GPs and they said candidates contesting elections get high-jacked by rival candidates.

Elections to GPs are being held on non-political symbols while elections to TPs and ZPs held on symbols of political parties.

The Congress party had stoutly opposed the format of the Bill.