Salary hike for contract doctors; KSRTC buses to be used as goods carriers

State government decides to take back leased lands from NGOs that have remained unused

KSRTC and other State RTCs have incurred a loss of ₹816.21 crore till April 20, owing to the lockdown.

The State government is set to hike salaries of doctors working on contract basis and use State transport corporation buses as goods carriers to supply particularly essential goods in the next few days.

These decisions were taken at a marathon meeting held by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Thursday with senior officials on steps to be taken during the next few days and post-lockdown period to tone up administrative machinery and bring revenue to the State.

On leased land, buses

The government has decided to take back all lands allotted on lease to various non-government organisations that have not utilised them till now, thereby violating lease conditions, sources in the government said. Cash-trapped government had already decided to implement Akrama-Sakrama scheme in urban areas of the State to regularise unauthorised constructions and auction some BDA sites to generate revenue.

With KSRTC and other State RTCs having incurred loss of ₹816.21 crore till April 20, owing to lockdown, it was decided that buses would be used as goods carriers to transport essential goods to bring revenue to the State. It was decided that KSRTC and BMTC buses will be given to private companies on a contract basis. With this decision, BMTC/KSRTC buses and metro trains in the city are unlikely to become operational for a few days after lifting of the lockdown on May 3.

Farm produce

The Chief Minister discussed various options available before the government on saving perishable commodities in cold storages and later selling them in the market. Options of exporting farm produce to other States and countries too was discussed and officials were told to come up with solutions to provide remunerative prices to farmers, sources said.

Mr. Yediyurappa also had telephonic talks with Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda and told him to take steps to supply fertilizers to farmers at reduced prices since prices at international markets have crashed owing to lockdown.

Water release

The Water Resources Department’s officials have been told to release excess water from reservoirs for crops planted by farmers. Keeping in mind last year’s flood, the officials have been told to monitor water levels in each major reservoir every day. The Chief Minister told the officials to activate task forces set up at the gram panchayat-level and ensure supply of potable water to all residents.