BENGALURU: Legislative Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri said here on Sunday that the state Legislature will get financial autonomy soon after he holds talks with Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai. On his return from a two-day all-India conference for presiding officers in Shimla, Kageri said the autonomy will help reappropriation of the budget if needed without approaching the Finance Department. The Shimla conference was to mark the centenary of a similar meeting held in 1921.
“We put forth a demand for the budget annually and an audit is also conducted to check for any misappropriation,” he added. “Already, the Lok Sabha has the autonomy and the Himachal Pradesh government too has given financial freedom to its legislature. If done in Karnataka, it will only be the second state in the country to pass such an order. There was a debate for over seven years and the government has to take a decision now,” he said. “Council Chairman Basavaraja Horatti and I will hold talks with the chief minister and finance department officials,” he added.
The Shimla conference decided that the presiding officers should speak to leaders of all parties and arrive at an agreement that there should be no ruckus during President’s and Governor’s addresses and also during the question hour. It was also decided to hold the all-India conference of presiding officers twice a year with one session in New Delhi and the second in another state.
The Shimla conference passed a resolution to conduct orientation courses and workshops to all newly elected members on the Rules of Procedure, conduct and behaviour before the legislature session begins. A mobile app is also being planned on the Lok Sabha and Assembly sessions, he said.
PAC conference in New Delhi
Kageri said a national conference on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairpersons and presiding officers is slated to be held in New Delhi on December 4 and 5. This conference also marks its centenary year, he added. Based on the recommendations at the conference, the PAC will decide on the accountability index on the action taken.