‘Implement schemes, not just announce them’

Continuing his penchant for criticising the government, Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa on Sunday expressed concern over the tardy progress in implementation of welfare schemes announced by the government.

He said he would remind Ministers about the slow progress of schemes during the monsoon session of the legislature, which begins in Belagavi on Monday.

Briefing reporters on the Legislative Assembly’s agenda for the next 20 days, Mr. Thimmappa said schemes should not remain on paper and Ministers should give more attention on their implementation, and delivery of services.

Schemes such as Bhoochetana for increasing soil fertility in dry regions, crop loans at zero per cent interest rate, and implementation of the Forest Act, 2006 to provide rights over land to forest-dwelling communities, have not reached the needy. The Co-operation Department will be asked to issue a circular to grant loans to eligible farmers, the Speaker said. “It is better to implement fewer schemes than announce too many and implement few,” he said.

Bills to be passed

Four Bills will be passed and two introduced during the session. The Bills to be adopted are: The Karnataka Molasses Regulation Bill, 2014; The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage (Amendment) Bill, 2015; The Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2015; and The Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2015.

The Bills to be introduced in the House are: The Karnataka State Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2015, and The Karnataka Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Determination of Fee) Bill, 2015.