Bangalore: 'Flying' Start to Legislature Session with Governor's Address

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jan 30: The 10-day session of the Karnataka Legislature, the first during the year 2012, got off to a virtual 'flying' start with the State Governor Hans Raj announcing that the minor airports at Gulbarga and Shimoga would be operational by July in addition to efforts for developing minor airports at Bijapur and Hassan.

The Govenor, who addressed the joint session, said the four airports were being developed on public-private-partnership (PPP) model.

In addition, Bhardwaj said the second leg of the 11-km stretch of the Bangalore Metro on the northern corridor was also due to be operational by the end of the current year. As many as 10 stations would be part of the 11-km stretch from Peenya till Sampige Road in Malleswaram in the city.

The entire phase I of the Namma Metro project for easing the traffic congestion in the city would be completed by December 2013, the Governor said, adding Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) was constructing grade separators at 12 junctions in the outer ring road from Central Silk Board to Hebbal fly-over and up to Tumkur Road junction to create a signal-free corridor for a stretch of about 36 kms.

As many as 12 railway projects have already been taken up on a cost sharing basis and a dozen departments would get separate transaction advisors by March-end to encourage more PPP based projects, he said.

“Expansion work on the Bangalore International Airport will increase passenger handling capacity to 17.5 millions per annum”, the Governor said.

The Government was establishing a centre for excellence under Integrated Water Resources Management scheme by reorganising and revamping other existing institutions. ''This centre for excellence will help in formulating IWRM principles, which will benefit the farmers of the State”, he said

For the first time in the country, Urban Property Ownership Records on a 'GIS' platform were being created in five cities on a pilot basis, the Governor said adding: ''This would enable the property owners to have authentic records of their properties with geo reference. In a phased manner, this will be extended to all towns, including Bangalore city.”

The BJP government headed by Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda got the Governor to criticise the Centre, by making him say: ''It is unfortunate that new projects for power generation have not fructified due to inordinate delays in environmental clearance and allotment of coal linkages.”

''However, my Government has, from time to time, been purchasing as much power as possible to meet the increasing demand,” he said referring to the severe power shortage facing the State

Noting that the Karnataka Guarantee of Services to Citizens Act, 2011, had been enacted and rules were being framed recently, Bhardwaj said the legislation would empower the citizens through a “Right” based approach and enable transparency in administration and curb corruption and reduce public grievances.

As many as 152 services of 11 departments have been notified for the citizen's charter, he said.

The Government would be launching a pilot project on March 1, 2012, in four taluks (one per each of the four revenue divisions in the State) and one revenue office in Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (city corporation) area, he said.


Governor's Address 'disappointing, lacked direction'
 
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress party took sharp exception to the pronouncements made in the Governor's address and the speech approved by the D V Sadananda Gowda ministry was ''totally disappointing and lacking in direction.”

Congress opposition leader in the State Assembly Siddaramaiah said the Governor's speech repeated old schemes mentioned in the last two budgets and failed to indicate any specific programme to tackle drought in 99 taluks or shortage of power and check rampant corruption in the implementation of popular schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

Terming the Governor's address as a ''routine and customary speech,” the Congress leader said there was nothing new in the speech nor any solutions were mentioned for tackling drinking water crisis, power shortage and migration of people in drought hit taluks.

But the Government continued to blame the Centre for power crisis in the State, he said pointing out that the BJP government in the State had completely failed in utilizing funds sanctioned under the centrally sponsored schemes.

The Government had used the Governor's speech to mention various old programmes launched during the last two or three years ago.

Speaker Bopaiah's resignation demanded

Siddaramaiah reiterated the party's demand for the resignation of Speaker K G Bopaiah following the Supreme Court's observations against him in the disqualification of Independent MLAs. The Apex Court said the Speaker's decision to disqualify MLAs was unconstitutional. The Speaker disqualified Independent members to save the then government headed by former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa ''with an ulterior motive and bad intentions, he said.

The Congress members and independent members and former Ministers P M Narendraswamy, Venkataramanappa and Shivaraj Tangadagi rushed to the well of the House and shouted slogans against the Speaker demanding his resignation. They shouted slogans when the House assembled again after Governor Bhardwaj's address to the joint session of the State legislature.