Eight Bills tabled and passed in Karnataka Assembly, including one on abandoned borewells

The Legislative Assembly on Monday unanimously passed eight Bills that were introduced by the government, including the Karnataka Groundwater (Regulation and Control of Development and Management) (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

This legislation envisages monitoring open borewells, which result in many accidents where children fall, get trapped, and lose their lives. The Bill makes the borewell drillers and the farm owners responsible for any accident. 

Welcoming the Bill, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok suggested that a hefty penalty should be slapped on the borewell drilling agency if it fails to close the pit properly if the borewell fails to yield water.

With increased instances of fraudulent transactions by financial firms surfacing, the Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was also passed. 

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who introduced the Bill, said the amendment was aimed at establishing the liability of any director, promoter, office-bearer, accountant, agent or partner of the establishment or former directors, partners, promoters who have resigned from the establishment.

“Most of the time, the directors and partners who would have been at the helm while collecting investments escape punishment as they would have later resigned,” the Minister said.

On taxes

Introducing the Karnataka Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2024, Mr. Byre Gowda said it was part of the government’s trade and business-friendly measures. 

“The main objective of this amendment is to simplify the tax collection process by clearing confusion between the taxpayers and the tax collectors. There are over 80,000 litigations pending in courts between the government and the taxpayers. As much as ₹15,000 crore is in dispute,” he said, hoping it would be settled through this amendment.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (second Amendment) Bill, 2024, to replace an Ordinance promulgated earlier for bringing in one-time settlement of property tax; the Karnataka Tourism Ropeways Bill, 2024, for setting up an authority on maintenance of ropeways; the Basavanabagewadi Development Authority Bill, 2024; the Karnataka State Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2024, to rename Raichur University as Adikavi Sri Maharshi Valmiki University, and the Chanakya University  (Amendment) Bill, 2024, were also passed.

Published - December 16, 2024 08:17 pm IST