BELAGAVI: A contentious Karnataka State Rural Development And Panchayat Raj University (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aimed at removing the powers of the Governor as head of the university, which was introduced in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, is certain to trigger a fierce debate in the House. Including the university bill, the government introduced 11 bills in the lower house on Thursday.
The proposed amendment to the existing bill also proposes to vest the power of the Chief Minister to appoint the Vice-Chancellor, as would take over the position of the Chancellor. The existing law stipulates that the Governor would reconstitute the search committee to appoint the V-C once every three years, but the proposed bill envisages removing this clause and empower the chief minister to form the panel, which in turn recommends three persons for the V-C post.
The government’s move to introduce the amendment bill assumes political significance in the backdrop of the ongoing clash between Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and the Congress government over the MUDA scam.
Other bills tabled in the Assembly are The Karnataka State Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2024, to rename The Raichur University as Adikavi Sri Maharishi University, The Chanakya University (Amendment) Bill, 2024, to nominate one special expert from respective field by the government to the Boards of Governors.
The Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims at bringing in clauses to protect gullible depositors, especially farmers, who deposit their farm produce and money with money-lenders, commission agents apart from ponzi firms, from getting cheated.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (Second Amendment) Bill, 2024, would replace the ordinance that provided One-time Settlement (OTS) for the owners of properties to pay their pending dues of property tax and extend the date for the same.
The amendment also proposes to introduce suo motu revision provision to facilitate property owners to upwardly revise their property tax on their own. The Karnataka Labour Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2024, envisages to increase the rate of contribution payable by the concerned employee and employer and the state government to the Labour Welfare Fund.
The Basavana Bagewadi Development Authority Bill, 2024, proposes looks to set up an independent statutory authority to undertake development and maintenance of Basavana Bagewadi taluk in Vijayapura.
The Karnataka Tourism Ropeways Bill, 2024, envisages authorising the government to construct ropeways in tourist spots. The Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2024, proposes to impose an additional Rs 500 on two-wheelers and Rs 2,000 on four-wheelers at the time of registration for the purpose of establishing social security and welfare fund for the employees working in transport corporations.