BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday issued a mild warning to his cabinet colleagues on corruption, pointing out that the opposition is looking for every opportunity to pin the government down.
“I have said in the previous cabinet meeting and in the Delhi meeting and I am saying it again now. It is not even three months since the new government was formed and there are already several allegations against us. We need to be watchful as the opposition is waiting to trap us on one issue or the other”, the CM advised his ministers durng the cabinet meeting held today.
The CM further said, “Our guarantees have taken off and all ministers should work to ensure that its benefits reach all. Let us focus on the Lok Sabha election next year. The probes will bring out the truth about the fake letters”.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy brought up the issue of pending dues of contractors and suggested that the bill be paid where works have been completed while pointing out that the opposition BJP could make it a big issue.
However, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar intervened and pointed out that works haven’t even been taken up in some places. “When such is the case, how can bills be paid? The SITs are probing the works and once, the reports come in, we can decide on releasing the payments. Political allegations should be answered politically”, he said.
When the issue of the alleged ‘fake letter’ alleging corruption by Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy came up, the minister defended himself claiming that he was being targeted and that the allegations against him were made deliberately to hurt his image and embarrass the government. “First, it was the KSRTC employee’s suicide and now this fake letter”, he claimed.
Cheluvarayaswamy received the support of the colleagues who said such allegations should be countered politically.
The cabinet decided to revoke the nine cases invoked against Siddaramaiah, D K Shivakumar, G Parameshwar, MP D K Suresh and other Congress leaders for violating Covid-19 restrictions during the Mekedatu padayatra, Law Minister H K Patil told media persons after the meeting. It was also decided to use sunflower oil instead of palm oil at anganwadi centres. The cost is estimated to be Rs 66.04 crores.
Other Decisions
- Dr M H Nagesh, assistant commissioner of commercial taxes, to be dismissed from service after he was awarded five years of simple imprisonment by a sessions court for misusing funds.
- Dr Usha S Kadaramandalagi, a senior gynaecologist at the Ramanagara district hospital to be compulsorily retired after she was trapped by the Lokayukta police in a bribery case and the offence ws established.
- S D Nagamani, gynaecologist at the C V Raman Hospital, Indiranagar, to be compulsorily retired and fined after she was trapped by the Lokayukta and a departmental inquiry also proved the charge.
- BEO S N Halligaddi, posted at Hoovina Hadagali, to be removed from service after being awarded five years of rigorous imprisonment in a POCSO case.
- Administrative approval for revised estimate of Rs 391.61 crore for setting up Centre for Aerospace and Defence Excellence in Bengaluru.
- Administrative approval for revised estimate of Rs 187.90 crore for setting up a 325-bed superspecialty hospital on the premises of the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences.
- Approval for inclusion of Uttara Kannada district under Coastal Development Board from Malnad Development Board.
- Administrative approval for installing vehicle tracking system and panic button in road transport corporation vehciles, including centralised control room (VTMS), at a cost of Rs 30.74 crore.
- Rs 47.41 crore for setting up CT scan facilities in 5 district hospitals and MRI scan facilities in 15 government hospitals under PPP model.
- Approval for Karnataka Cyber Security Act 2023-24.
- Cabinet sub-committee to be formed to study possibility of collectign property tax on unauthorised buildings in other parts of the state on the lines of the BBMP.