Karnataka Winter Session Kicks Off with Key Legislation and Protests in Belagavi
The winter session of the Karnataka legislature began on Monday (December 9, 2024), setting the stage for intense political activity both inside and outside the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi over the next two weeks.
Riding high on their recent byelection victory, the ruling Congress is gearing up for tough confrontations with the Opposition on issues such as the MUDA case, the Waqf land dispute, and maternal deaths in Ballari. Meanwhile, the BJP continues to grapple with unresolved internal squabbles and factionalism.
Belagavi is also preparing for multiple protests during the session, with 64 organizations seeking permission to protest in front of the Suvarna Soudha. These groups include Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Hasiru Sene, the Panchamasali reservation agitation committee, and the KSRTC Workers Union, among others.
The session will also see significant discussions on key legislative matters. According to Speaker U.T. Khader, the Assembly Secretariat has received 3,004 questions, 205 call attention motions, and multiple discussions under rules 96 and 351. In addition, three private member bills have been submitted. Below are four important bills expected to be tabled:
Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University (Amendment) Bill, 2024
This contentious bill proposes replacing the Governor with the Chief Minister as Chancellor of the university. If passed, it could spark a fresh confrontation between the government and the Raj Bhavan.
This bill introduces provisions for taxing the exercise of mineral rights and the use of mineral-bearing land by the state government. The tax rates range from ₹20 to ₹100 per tonne depending on the mineral, with specific rates for bauxite, laterite, manganese, iron ore, copper ore, limeshell, and gold byproducts.
This amendment proposes increasing the labour welfare corpus fund, raising the contributions from labourers, employers, and the government, and expanding the annual collection from ₹42 crore to ₹100 crore.
This bill aims to regulate open borewells, which have caused numerous accidents, especially involving children. It holds borewell drillers and farm owners accountable for such incidents.Karnataka Mineral Rights Tax Bill, 2024
Karnataka Labour Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2024
Karnataka Groundwater Regulations and Control of Development and Management Amendment Bill
Additionally, three bills are currently pending with the Governor of Karnataka: the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions Charitable Endowments Bill, the Karnataka Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) (Second Amendment) Bill, and the Karnataka Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) (Amendment) Bill.
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