The Karnataka Assembly on Friday witnessed a brief dharna by the entire opposition members protesting the government move to pass the Finance Bill without tabling the annual and performance reports of various departments.
Raising the issue, Leader of the Opposition, Siddaramaiah said 18 departments were yet to submit their annual reports and another 13 their performance budget. “In this scenario, we cannot discuss the budget. We need to know how various departments have performed last year. Hardly 20 members have spoken on the debate and many more were eager to speak. It is better to continue the discussion and take up the process of approving Finance Bill on July 30,” he said. Responding to Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said as per the decision taken in the Business Advisory Committee Meeting, the government would reply on the budget and take up Finance Bill for approval on Friday itself.
Former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa intervened and backed the opposition’s concerns. “There has been a mistake committed by bureaucrats in not submitting the annual and performance reports of various departments,” he said.
Yeddyurappa criticised the “lackadaisical” attitude of the officials for not submitting the reports. “I appeal to the opposition to allow the government to take up the process of approving the Finance Bill,” he said. Speaker K G Bopaiah directed the government to take strict action against the officials for their lapses.
Shettar assured the House that he would take action against the erring officials following which the opposition, including JD(S) members, withdrew the dharna.
