State plans border area development authority

The Karnataka government plans to set up an independent authority for the comprehensive development of border areas of the state. The authority will monitor and evaluate the implementation of projects and programmes relating to the development of the border areas of the state.

S Suresh Kumar, minister for parliamentary affairs, tabled the Karnataka Border Area Development Authority Bill 2010 in the state legislative assembly on Wednesday.

The main objective of the authority is to improve conditions of people in 52 border taluks which have been identified and covered under the “border areas” in all spheres of life, like Kannada language, culture, education, irrigation, environment, industry, health and agriculture. It would protect Kannada-speaking people from the influence of the neighbouring state languages, cultures, so that they should not be weaned away from the Kannada environment socially, culturally, educationally and financially.

The job of the authority will be to implement schemes to provide education in Kannada medium, textbooks among others. It will encourage handicraft industries, cottage industries and other facilities required for the benefit of Kannadigas and also improve the status of the Kannada speaking people.

The government would nominate a person who has worked for the development of the border areas as the chairman of the authority. The government will appoint seven persons with special knowledge of practical experience in the field of literature, administration, education or law who are aware of the problems of the border areas as members of the authority.

The chairman and other members nominated by the government should hold office for a three year period subject to their working satisfying the government. In all, 52 taluks come under the purview of the authority, the bill said.

There would be a recurring expenditure of Rs 7.11 crore and non-recurring expenditure of Rs 2.89 crore by the proposed legislative measure, the bill said.

Kumar also tabled the University of Horticultural Sciences Bill, 2009, to establish the university in Bagalkote. Earlier, the legislature had passed the bill but governor H R Bhardwaj returned the bill without giving his assent. The governor suggested some changes to the bill.

The Karnataka State Public Records Bill, 2010, was also tabled in the house and the bill aimed to regulate the management, administration and preservation of public records of the government, public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, corporations, commissions and committees constituted by the government.