BENGALURU: Karnataka’s Congress govt, already facing criticism for allocating Rs 52,000 crore to its five guarantee schemes, came under fresh attack from BJP, which alleged Rs 60 crore has been set aside annually for more than 4,000 Congress workers overseeing implementation of the plans at the state, district and taluk levels. Govt, however, hasn’t disclosed the size of the outlay.
Govt informed the assembly Tuesday about salaries and sitting charges of guarantee scheme implementation panels. Soon, it triggered an uproar, with opposition parties slamming the move as a blatant attempt to reward Congress workers at taxpayers’ expense.
Karnataka has constituted 38 panels to oversee the implementation of its guarantee schemes, with each panel comprising a chairperson, five vice-chairpersons, 31 members and a member-secretary. The chairperson of these panels will hold cabinet rank, while the vice-chairpersons will be given junior minister status.
These panels will be provided offices at the state, district and taluk levels. The district panel chairperson will receive Rs 40,000 a month and the district vice-chairperson Rs 10,000. The taluk chairperson will receive Rs 25,000 a month and the BBMP chairperson Rs 40,000.
In addition to salaries, sitting fees will be paid to members. At the district and BBMP levels, members will receive Rs 1,200 per sitting, while at the taluk level members will be paid Rs 1,100.
Responding to JD(S) MLA MT Krishnappa, deputy CM DK Shivakumar defended the decision, asserting Congress workers were entrusted with overseeing the schemes.
This intensified the opposition’s fury and BJP and JD(S) MLAs stormed the well of the House alleging Congress workers were being given undue control over the implementation of public welfare schemes. “Are we — the 224 MLAs and the bureaucracy — not competent to implement these schemes? Why is the state exchequer’s money being spent towards your (Congress) workers’ fun and frolic,” leader of opposition R Ashoka asked.
Amid accusations that the panels were being used as a “rehabilitation” platform for Congress workers, Shivakumar said, “It is Congress workers who are responsible for bringing the party back to office in the 2023 assembly polls, and we intend to honour them with these postings.”
Despite Speaker U T Khader’s attempts to defuse tension, the protests continued. Shivakumar said he would take the opposition’s demand to the cabinet and consider appointing local MLAs as panel heads, while Congress workers remained as members. However, his assurance failed to pacify the opposition, which continued its protest in the House.
