BENGALURU: The issue of waiving of loans of farmers in the state resurfaced in the Assembly on Monday with the Opposition demanding that the state waive the loans of farmers taken from state cooperative banks.
Raising the issue during question hour, Kona Reddy (JD-S) said the farmers who were protesting on the issues of Mahadayi waters and implementation of irrigation projects in North Karnataka should be provided answers on the government stance. He demanded that the state issue a clear direction on these matters.
He said the farmers had gone on strike placing several demands including the intervention of the Prime Minister to solve the issue of sharing of Mahadayi waters. The least the government could do is to waive the loans, he said.
Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar said that since the ‘Yuvaraja’ (prince) Rahul Gandhi was in the City, it was an ideal time for the government to announce the waiver. He said that Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh had already announced such waivers.Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T B Jayachandra said the matter would be clarified by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah himself. The discussion ended after Speaker K B Koliwad assured the opposition that they would be given time for a discussion on the matter.
Both the Houses had thin attendance with legislators absenting from the House proceedings again. While some had not returned after going back to their hometowns for the weekend, the Congress legislators left early due to the presence of AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi in the City. The Congress hosted two events on Monday. Both the Houses were adjourned early in the day to Tuesday.
Session extended The extended budget session, which was supposed to be adjourned sine die on June 16, has been extended to June 21.
Hindrance to caste census report from within: Minister Even after two years of survey, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s pet project ‘caste census report’ has not been released. A senior minister in Siddaramaiah’s cabinet said there might be ‘obstruction’ from ‘insiders’ to release the report. BJP member Tara Anuradha who raised the issue in the Council on Monday urged Social Welfare Minister Anjaneya to release the report. When Anjaneya said it will be announced by the chief minister and released soon, unhappy over his reply, members demanded to know the reason. Health Minister K R Ramesh Kumar, who was present in the House, said when Devaraj Urs was the chief minister, he had faced wrath from his own party legislators during the implementation of the Land Reformation Act. “A set of people within his party objected and caused hindrance, chances of similar situation might have arisen,” he said.