The Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belgaum may host a 15-day budget session after the 15-day winter session that begins on November 25. Apart from this, plans are also afoot to optimise the use of the structure by conducting a legislature committee meeting here every month, according to assembly speaker Kagodu Thimmappa.
Thimmappa, who was in Belgaum to inspect the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, held meetings with district officials on the ongoing preparations for the forthcoming winter session.
"Every year, we have sessions for around 100 days, of which we will try to hold at least 30 days in Belgaum. Last year, during the first session at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, we got mixed reactions from the legislators and the general public. This time we began preparations well in advance to providing better facilities. The accommodations for all legislators will be provided in Belgaum itself," he said.
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The district administration has proposed Rs 10 crore for the beautification of the city, including development of roads. Thimmappa also promised the administration that he would bring it to the notice of chief minister Siddaramaiah. The speaker also called on the departments concerned to take necessary measures for better maintenance of the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha.
"Constructing a building is easy but maintaining it is difficult. I will personally supervise the upkeep of the building," he said.
"Constructing permanent hostel facilities for legislators at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha is not a problem. But, we are thinking of ways to use it when sessions are not on. Once built, it should not go waste," he pointed out. It was exactly a year ago that President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha. The government spends nearly Rs 2.5 crore per year on its upkeep.
Suvarna Vidhana Soudha was built as part of Karnataka's reiteration of its control over Belgaum in its inter-state rivalry with Maharashtra. In 2006, former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy held a session in Belgaum and later launched work on Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in the heart of the city on August 26, 2007.
But, due to opposition from environmentalists, the venue was shifted to Halga Bastwad village on the Pune-Bangalore NH4, just 12 km from Belgaum city.
