Bengaluru, 13 Feb

A Bill mandating 60 per cent Kannada text in signboards of businesses and establishments was tabled in Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. The Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Bill, 2024, amends the 2022 Act.

The amendment is to ensure that the name boards of commercial, industrial and business undertakings, trusts, counseling centres, hospitals, laboratories, amusement centres and hotels, among others display 60 per cent in Kannada language.

Kannada shall be displayed in the upper half of the name board, the bill in its statement of objects and reasons said.

The Bill also amends the Act to appoint the Director, Directorate of Kannada and Culture as the Member, and the Secretary, Kannada Development Authority to be the Convener of the 'State Level Committee’ that will act as an enforcement authority for implementing the official language.

Cabinet on 5 January gave its approval to an ordinance to amend the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act that mandates 60 per cent use of the language in signages. As of now, the law requires the use of Kannada language in the upper half of signboards, displaying the names of businesses.

Along with the Bill, the Assembly during the Budget session discussed various irrigation projects. Bangarapet MLA SN Narayanaswamy said lakes in his district are barren. He requested Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to begin II Phase II of Koramangala-Challaghatta Valley Project (KC Valley) which will benefit 134 lakes in Kolar and Chikkaballapur.

MLAs also complained that the roads leading to the Upper Bhadra project are destroyed causing many accidents. Shivakumar said the government is trying to complete the project but Rs 5,400 crore expected from the Centre is yet to arrive.

Sakleshpur MLA Cement Manju also slammed the government for supplying water only for 16,000 acres of land instead of the promised 37,000 acres

During the question hour, BJP leaders targeted Labour Minister Santosh Lad over rules for obtaining labour cards. The card requires construction workers to submit building plans, but some leaders said it does not make sense. Lad defended the rule, saying that a large percentage of current labour card holders are bogus and do not know where the buildings they have worked on are located.

Over increasing deaths due to alcohol related ailments, Dodaballapura MLA Dheeraj Muniraju urges action against home-based liquor sales in rural areas. He suggests booking bars that sell over 2.5 litres of alcohol to one person and shutting them down after three such cases.The House also saw Leader of Opposition R Ashoka and Home Minister G Parameshwara spar over “goonda rajya” in State. Ashoka alleged that the rise in rapes cases are due to “goonda rajya”. Parameshwara hit back saying the law and order is better now compared to BJP’s tenure.

Congress MLA Ravikumar Ganiga asked the government to ban cricket betting and rummy in State.

1.5L tonnes copra remained unsold: Revanna

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Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said that almost 20 per cent of Bengaluru got water from tankers, highlighting concerns of rising water scarcity in the state. Shivakumar, who is also Bengaluru Development Minister, swas responding to MLA CK Ramamurthy’s query over not supplying Cauvery water to 13 slums in Jayanagar. Ramamurthy claimed BWSSB is demanding Rs 4 crore to supply Cauvery water because of which 5,000 houses are dependent on borewells for their needs. Shivakumar said the problem exists in the entire City.

BJP MLA slams Centre over Anna Bhgaya rice

BJP MLA Narendraswamy criticised the Centre for denying the provision of rice to the State under the Anna Bhagya scheme. Swamy accused BJP of not helping the poor by not providing rice despite State being ready to pay Rs 34 per kg for it. He further added that the Centre is now selling the same rice under the brand name “Bharat” for Rs 29. He also defended the speech made by Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot during the Assembly's commencement.