Date:12/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/12/stories/2007041208240400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

No breach of privilege, says Yediyurappa

Special Correspondent

In thelegislature

He did not follow rules of the House, charges Kharge

`Schemes were announced without debate in Assembly'

BANGALORE: Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Wednesday defended his decision on announcement of a slew of welfare schemes at a cost of Rs. 220 crore in his reply to the debate on the State budget on March 30 and said there was no breach of privilege of members of the Legislative Assembly.

Replying to the debate on a breach of privilege notice given by Congress members, Mr. Yediyurappa told the Assembly that the schemes he had announced during the reply had not been included in the State budget.

The schemes would be included in the supplementary budget in the coming days, he said.

He said there was no substance in the charge made by the Congress members that the schemes had been announced to woo electorate in the coming elections to the urban local bodies.

"The budget is not election-oriented. I will present two more budgets in the coming years." More funds would be mobilised for implementing schemes for the welfare Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, he said.

Dissatisfied with the reply given by Mr. Yediyurappa, the Congress members, led by Leader of the Opposition N. Dharam Singh, staged a walkout.

Reacting to the criticism levelled by the Opposition leaders, Mr. Yediyurappa said, "the Government is confident about the implementation of the budget and the promises made therein." A Rs. 1,571-crore programme had been prepared for redressal of regional imbalance. All schemes were announced after consultation with Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, he said.

Earlier, moving the breach of privilege motion, Mr. Dharam Singh said Mr. Yediyurappa had announced over 50 schemes worth Rs. 220 crore without approval of the Cabinet and without a debate in the House.

He had announced some schemes in the Upper House without any mention of them in the Assembly.

M. Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Mr. Yediyurappa announced schemes without following rules and regulations of the House.

He said the Planning Commission had directed the State Government to allocate funds for schemes taking into account the population of various communities.