Promises galore as K'taka assembly makes chaotic start

Proceedings of the 13th Karnataka legislative assembly began on Friday on a chaotic note.

Coverage: Karnataka Votes

As Governor Rameshwar Thakur commenced the special address to the joint session of the legislative assembly and council, around 10 members from the opposition squatted in the well of the House shouting anti-government slogans.

The protesting legislators from the JD-S said they did not have faith in the new BJP government as they felt that the problems of the farmers would remain unattended.

They were demanding a support price for sugar cane in the state. However, they calmed down after ten minutes following which proceedings went on smoothly.

In his address, Governor Thakur said the government would focus on health, education and communal harmony in the state. During his address, which lasted nearly 30 minutes, the governor added that the government shall strive towards improvement of infrastructure and emphasis would be given to resolve the power problem in the state.

He said the private sector would be encouraged to invest in the power sector, as he felt that such involvement would help resolving this problem.

The Governor said Cauvery issue was of prime importance to the new government. He said the government would do everything in the book to ensure that interest of the state is safeguarded in this dispute. Karnataka's case will forcefully be presented in the Supreme Court, he added.

He further said that the government will prevail upon the Union government to complete the pending road and rail projects in Karnataka. Airports at Gulbarga, Shimoga and Hassan would also come up shortly he added.

The government would encourage the setting up of more industries across the state. Emphasis would be given to computer education and cyber cafes and computer training institutes would be set up at the villages, he added.

The government will also set up a special cell to monitor infrastructure development. The special cell will be in charge of solving the traffic woes, especially in Bangalore. Apart from this the resident of Bangalore can expect better sanitation and water supply, he also added.

Priority to horticulture, coconut and arecanut cultivation, support price if the need be and increasing forest cover, implementation of the D M Nanjundappa committee report on regional imbalance, making Karnataka a top class tourist destination would all be priorities of the government.

The government also plans to press upon the Union government to award Kannada language classical status, the Governor said, adding that a Suvarna Vidhan Soudha would also be set up at Belgaum.

The session was then adjourned for lunch and would resume in an hour when B S Yeddyurappa will seek the trust vote.