K’taka CM to present budget on Feb 17

BENGALURU: The joint session and the Budget session of the legislature will be merged and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will present the budget on February 17, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy announced on Friday. The session will start on February 10, when Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot will deliver his address to the House.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting on Friday, Madhuswamy said the duration of the session will be decided after with the Public Accounts Committee. He also said the no discussion on reservation for Lingayats and Vokkaligas was taken up at the cabinet meeting on Friday.

The minister also said the cabinet okayed the opening of 114 Namma Arogya Kendras and approved release of Rs 71 crore for appointment of additional staff at 840 ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife) kendras. All the centres will get one ANM and for the time being, they will be outsourced, he said.

Among other decisions, the cabinet approved upgradation of the Kittur taluk hospital to a 100-bed facility at a cost of Rs 19 crore, construction of a check dam in Tarikere taluk at a cost of Rs 20 crore and construction of Ambedkar residential schools by PWD at Rs 600 crore. In the initial stage, 100 residential schools will be started, he said.

The cabinet has also approved purchase of essentials for Karnataka Public Schools at a cost Rs 15 crore, development of the Kalasipalyam bus stand at Rs 63 crore and release of Rs 12.5 crore for implementation of the Spoorthi scheme. The Women and Child Development Department will take up a year-long programme to create awareness on child marriage and other issues, Madhuswamy noted.

Other Decisions:

Nod for Karnataka State Finance Corporation to distribute Rs 54 crore as dividend among shareholders

One-time settlement of NP (no par value) shares from 2003

Permission for stone quarrying as per court orders

Nod for Sugar Control Board to revise cess.