BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has convened a cabinet meeting on Thursday after a gap of nearly three months.
As the Model Code of Conduct was imposed on March 16 owing to the Lok Sabha elections, no cabinet meeting has been held in the state since then.
According to informed sources, the issues that are likely to figure during Thursday’s cabinet meeting are ways to implement the projects announced in the budget and transfers of officials.
The Siddaramaiah government has been endlessly criticised by the BJP and JDS leaders on the issue of transfers. Since the elections to the zilla and taluk panchayats and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are due, certain decisions keeping those polls in mind could be discussed by the cabinet.
The cabinet is also likely to decide the details of the next Legislature session which will be held in July.
When reporters asked about holding the cabinet meeting after three months, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “The Model Code of Conduct was in force for three months. Important policy decisions cannot be taken during that period, and major announcements also cannot be made. There are many issues pending, which will be discussed.”
For the government to implement the programmes announced in the budget, revenue is essential, and the CM held back-to-back meetings on Tuesday with the major revenue-earning departments like commercial taxes, stamps and registration, excise, mines, and transport.
He said that the government was serious about the commercial taxes department achieving its revenue target, and the officials of the department have to work towards achieving the target or else be ready to face action.
“There are many pending issues that need to be discussed in the cabinet. For instance, drought and crop failure. Also, since the monsoon has set in, the administrative machinery’s preparedness to face the rain needs to be discussed. Also, revenue collection needs to be discussed,” former Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy told The New Indian Express.