K'taka Council passes Rs 1,955 crore appropriation bill

Bangalore, Aug 2 (UNI) The Karnataka Legislative Council today unanimously passed the Karnataka Appropriation Bill 2007, seeking sanction for the payment of Rs 1,955 crore out of the State's Consolidated Fund for the services for the current fiscal.

Presenting the Bill, Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who is also the Finance Minister, sought the House approval for the Rs 1,955 crore supplementary estimates.

Mr Yediyurappa, dismissing the Opposition charges, informed the House that distribution of farm loans through cooperative institutions for 2007-08 have overshot than last year. The State exchequer had suffered a loss of Rs 2,300 crore, following the decision of the State Government to waive farm loans to the tune of Rs 25,000, benefitting a large number of small and medium farmers. The Government also waived cooperative loans availed by fishermen and weavers in the State, he added.

Participating in the discussion, Leader of the Opposition H K Patil alleged that a substantial number of farmers could not avail the farm loan in the current season following the State Government's failure to release funds to cooperative institutions. ''The State Government has also failed to release any funds from the Prime Minister's special package to six districts in the State where more farmers committed suicides, unable to bear debts,'' he said.

Congress members S R Patil, V S Ugrappa and V R Sudarshan, JD(U) member M P Nadagouda and others participated in the discussion, before the Bill was put to vote and passed unanimously.

Earlier, the House also passed the Karnataka Civil Services (Regulation of Transfer of Teachers) Bill, 2007, seeking to regulate transfer of teachers in the State.

Presenting the Bill, Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister Basavaraj S Horatti said the Bill sought to ensure the availability of sufficient teachers in rural areas.

All members, irrespective of party affiliation, welcomed the Bill and passed it unanimously.

UNI