The Belagavi district administration is making a series of preparations for holding the winter session of the Legislature.
The State Government has appointed senior KAS officer Suresh Itnal as the special officer for the winter session. Deputy Commissioner R. Venkatesh Kumar has formed several committees to prepare for the session and to supervise logistics.
The Chief Minister and other senior members of the Cabinet will stay at the Visvesvaraya Technological University Guest House and the PWD Circuit House.
As many as 1,800 rooms have been booked in various lodges, resorts and guesthouses. However, the hoteliers are not happy as the officers have told them that they will be paid room rent based on 2018 rates. “Inflation has hit us hard and we are forced to raise tariff. But the government is not allowing it. This is injustice,” said Harish Kumar Shetty, who runs a hotel.
The association of hoteliers has given a memorandum to the government seeking an increase in rates, he added.
On Thursday, Speaker Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri and Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Hortatti will hold meetings at the Suvarna Soudha to review preparations.
On Wednesday, Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms P. Hemalatha visited the Suvarna Soudha for a review of the preparations.
She visited the chambers of presiding officers, banquet hall, corridors of the ruling and Opposition parties, central hall, canteen, officers cubicles and the security system. She asked officers to ensure that there was no crowding during lunch. Lunch can be started early, she told them.
A special team should oversee the implementation of COVID-19 protocol, she said. If RT-PCR test is made mandatory, then officers should have a place and staff ready to conduct tests and to check certificates, she said. She also asked officers to ensure that power supply is not disrupted and internet facilities are seamless.
Mr. Venkatesh Kumar, PWD Executive Engineer Sanjiv Kumar Hulkai, Police Commissioner K. Thiyagarajan, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Darshan H.V. and Dr. Itnal and others were present.
