High-level panel to check commission: CM Bommai

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stated that a high-level committee comprising retired high court judges, technical experts and officials of various departments has been formed as per Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Rules to prevent the commission mafia and corruption in contracts of development projects.

Speaking to media persons, here on Wednesday, he said, the committee would examine the tender process of projects worth above Rs 50 crore initially. The panel will approve the projects in 15 days after examining the action plan, and estimated cost. It will be functioning in a few days. It is applicable for projects of all departments above Rs 50 crore. In case of work pressure, an alternate committee will be formed to examine the tender process. For projects worth less than Rs 50 crore, district-level committees will be formed and a decision will be taken in this regard in the coming days.

Terming suicide by contractor Santosh Patil as a lesson to all, he said engineers, taluk panchayat executive officers, panchayat development offices will be held liable if development projects are implemented on the basis of oral instructions.

He said in order to discuss forest-related issues and the woes of people residing in Malnad districts coming under the purview of Western Ghats, a special meeting will be convened in the first week of May in Bengaluru. Elected representatives of the region, advocate general, and other officials will attend it.

There is a need to give clarifications to some forest-related issues in Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu, and semi-Malnad districts. Besides, there is a need to bring in legal changes. The Centre has to a take a call in this regard.

He also claimed that following the rise in collection of tax, the state's exchequer is in good state. "We have collected around Rs 15,000 crore tax and we are getting state share from the Centre without any interruption. The expenses have been reduced and the state has not taken a loan of Rs 4,000 even when it was offered.

On electricity, he said additional power is being generated in the state. However, the power supply is disrupted following the flaws in the electricity supply. The government would provide additional grants for the same.

He said the Bengaluru tech summit will be held in the state's capital in May. The IT and BT companies which are expected to take part in it will be convinced to set up their units in tier-2, tier-3 cities.