The winter session of the State legislature that concluded in Belagavi on Saturday is one of the few legislature sessions in recent years that witnessed serious business without too many disruptions.
Though the last day of the session in the Assembly had to be wound up amid dharna by the principal Opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party, demanding resignation of Primary and Secondary Education Minister Tanvir Sait, the overall proceedings of the House were not much affected.
50 p.c. more business
Some legislators feel that this session transacted nearly 50 per cent more business than what would have been normally possible in a 10-day session as dharnas and disruptions have almost become the norm of late.
The winter session saw several prominent reports being tabled in the House, including the House committee’s report on the alleged irregularities in the implementation of Bangalore–Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises, and the joint rules committee’s recommendations on amending the Karnataka State legislature rules and procedures.
Bills passed
Several prominent Bills — the Good Samaritan Bill, the legislation to streamline norms related to Ayush practitioners, the Bill to allow tapping of neera, and the Bill to ban cultivation of eucalyptus and acacia trees — were adopted.
The House also witnessed an elaborate discussion on drought gripping most of the taluks of the State and the inter-State row over sharing of the Mahadayi waters.
But the bottom-line is that people of north Karnataka are not satisfied as the issues haunting them. As the session was being held in their region, they expected some announcements regarding activation of administrative machinery as well as upgrading of infrastructure in their region. But, while the session confined itself to debates, no concrete action was initiated for bettering the day-to-day lives of people of north Karnataka. They feel that holding the session here has become a mere “ritual” in the absence of action-oriented programmes.
