Bengaluru, Nov 19 (IANS): The Karnataka government on Wednesday decided to hold the winter session of the legislature from December 7 to 15 in Bengaluru only.

Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting here, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhuswamy said that due to Covid-19, the state decided to hold the winter session in Bengaluru instead of Belagavi.

This is the second year in a row the state government has not held a session in Belgavi. Last year, due to severe floods in north Karnataka, the government had held the session here only.

Besides this, the Cabinet also approved guarantees to raise Rs 1,650 crore to take up irrigation works by state-owned Neeravari Nigams.

As per the Cabinet decision, the Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Ltd (KBJNL) is to raise Rs 500 crore, the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd (KNNL) Rs 650 crore, the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd (CNNL) and the Visvesvaraya Jala Nigam Ltd Rs 250 crore each.

Besides this, the cabinet also decided to constitute a Cabinet Sub-Committee to look into the demands for enhancement in the reservation for SC/ST communities.