JOIN USGovernor H R Bhardwaj on Monday severely criticised the previous regime for denting the image of the State with scams and corruption charges, while promising that the new dispensation headed by Siddaramaiah will give priority to protect the interests of minorities and also formulate policies for textiles, land and improvement of administration.
Reading out the speech of the new government to the joint session of the State legislature, he said the recommendations of the Jagannath Misra Commission and the Sachar Committee reports will be implemented for the welfare of the minorities.
The reports, among others, recommended according Scheduled Caste status to dalit Muslims and Christians. This is the second time in the current year that the governor is addressing the joint session.
The governor said the government will give the highest priority to the education sector, which has been lagging in infrastructure.
Henceforth, no government school will be closed on ‘flimsy’ grounds.
The government will also concentrate on filling up the vacancies in the higher education institutions where there is lack of proper faculty, he said.
“Priority will be given to improve employability and skill development, in order to ensure suitable job opportunities for all,” said the governor.
On the rampant land encroachment in the State, Bhardwaj said that the A T Ramaswamy and V Balasubramaniam reports would be studied by a high-powered committee headed by the chief secretary and it would advise the government on what action needed to be taken in the matter.
The government would prepare a land policy and introduce a system of audit for government lands given on grant or lease. The government would rationalise expenditure by curtailing wasteful expenditure, effective targeting of subsidies and focusing on growth-inducing capital investment.
The recommendations of the Expenditure Reforms Commission will be implemented in a time-bound manner, tax administration will be made more effective and efficient, while exhibiting zero-tolerance to tax evasion in all its forms, he said.
The government proposes to formulate a new textile policy with attractive incentives to textile industries and to make the sector globally competitive.
“A Centre for Good Governance and Innovation will be established to spearhead administrative reforms,” the governor said in the address.
The government will set up a centralised data centre to monitor the achievement of physical and financial targets across the multiple implementing agencies involved in providing housing in the State and make Karnataka 'hut-free'.
The infrastructure policy of 2007 would be reviewed and the PPP mode of implementation encouraged, he said.
Bhardwaj stressed the need to hasten work on the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR), for which the Government of India has given its ‘in-principle’ approval.
“My government will focus on the electronics and hardware sector and will implement the report of the Karnataka Communication Technology Group, in phases,” he said.
Based on the Centre’s allocation of Rs 1,400 crore, in the 2013-14 budget, for the safe drinking water scheme, the government is also ready to start a scheme in villages affected by chemical contamination from next year, the governor said.
‘Time to restore State’s lost pride’
The governor said that in the past few years, Karnataka has been held in a very low esteem on account of the large number of scams and corruption cases that have come to light.
Public money has been swindled and development works have come to a halt. Consequently, people have lost faith in political parties. The growing public cynicism has proved detrimental to democratic traditions, said the governor.
“My government is determined to regain the lost confidence of the people by ensuring clean and accountable administration. A lax administration invariably paves the way for corruption,” he said. He said that the State, in recent years, had witnessed a setback to the treasured legacy of ‘unity in diversity’. Instead of going into the reasons for such a state of affairs or blaming anyone, it is important to correct the damage in right earnest. The State should regain its lost glory and pride, he said.
Highlights
* Global Investors Meet to be held in 2014
* 1,000 ‘pure drinking water units’ to be set up in 5,875 villages, from January 1, 2014
* 60 lakh toilets to be constructed with assistance from Centre
* Second generation reforms to be introduced for bringing about qualitative
improvements in Sakaala Services Act, 2011
* Self-help groups to get additional revolving funds
* Schemes under Karnataka Mahila Abhivruddhi Yojana to be reviewed
* Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, to be implemented
* Classical Language Research Centre to be set up for implementing classical language status to Kannada
* Re 1/kg rice scheme to be effective from July 1
* PWD to be revamped to bring in greater transparency and efficiency in the execution of works
The Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah has set a new precedent of attacking the Opposition party in the Governor's speech. It is most unfortunate that the ruling party is misusing the Governor's address to the joint session. The Congress which is heading the UPA government at the Centre is mired in a series of scams and corruption charges. The party has no moral right to speak about corruption issue.
Jagadish Shettar,
BJP floor leader
The government making use of the Governor's address to attack the Opposition parties is unpardonable. It would have been appropriate for the Governor to speak about corruption and scams in the Central government. The fact that Siddaramaiah was able to announce freebies worth about Rs 6,000 crore on Day One of his becoming the CM proves that the finances of the State were healthy.
B S Yeddyurappa,
KJP floor leader
The opening three or four paragraphs in the Governor’s speech appear to be politically motivated. Making the Governor read a speech, criticising the BJP’s governance, according to me, is bringing disrespect to him. It is just a list of allegations against us.
D V Sadananda Gowda,
Opposition Leader in the Council
The speech is supposed to be a vision or a policy document which people can expect the government to adhere to. The governor’s This speech can’t be considered as one having a vision. There is no answer to the hard-pressed issues pertaining to agriculture land or power crisis.
M C Nanaiah,
JD(S) floor leader in the Council