House spending plan of Rs 26crore for special session irks government

BENGALURU: The big splurge planned for the two-day Special Legislature Session has put the legislature secretariat and the state government on a collision course. The session is to commemorate the diamond jubilee of the construction of the Vidhana Soudha.

The `26 crore estimate for the special session, to be inaugurated by  President Ram Nath Kovind on October 25, has made Chief Minister Siddaramaiah see red. The preparations being made for the  special session have not gone down well with the CM and many of his cabinet colleagues as the Legislature Secretariat has not involved the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry in the process.

The issue came up for discussion at the state cabinet meeting on Wednesday and many ministers reportedly expressed displeasure at the way Chairman of the Legislative Council D H  Shankaramurthy and Assembly Speaker K B Koliwad were taking decisions,  sources said. Shankaramurthy and Koliwad had called on President Kovind on Tuesday at Rashtrapati Bhavan and formally invited him to inaugurate the event.

“Many ministers expressed surprise at the`26 crore estimate for the two-day session and wanted a close scrutiny of  the planned expenditure for the event. The cabinet resolved that the Finance Department will take a close look at  the estimated cost,” sources said.

Apart from President Kovind’s inaugural address, the two-day celebration is devoted almost entirely to showcase the state’s rich history and cultural ethos. Live performances of various art forms near the steps of Vidhana Soudha East Entrance have been organised in the evening on both the days.

Winter session from  Nov 13

The Winter session of the state legislature will be held in Belagavi’s Suvarna Vidhana Soudha from November 13.  Issues and problems of the northern Karnataka region would dominate the proceedings of the 10-day session. The state cabinet on Wednesday approved  the schedule for the session. The much-delayed and anticipated Anti-Superstition Bill is likely to be tabled in the Belagavi session.