Governor addresses first joint session of new Karnataka legislature

A day after the JDS-Congress coalition agreed on a common minimum program for the new coalition government in Karnataka, the state’s Governor Vajubhai Vala echoed the proposed plans of the coalition in his first address to a joint session of the new Karnataka legislature.

The JDS and the Congress have broadly agreed on a minimum program that includes a JDS initiative to waive farm loans and Congress initiatives to implement irrigation projects to the tune of Rs 1.25 lakh crore and create one crore jobs over five years.

The fine print of the common minimum program is scheduled to be presented in the state budget on July 5 by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

In his address to the joint legislature on Monday, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala said that the government will implement new programs and continue with effective programs of the previous Congress government.

“We will forge new paths with a new vision to safeguard the interest of each and every citizen, while also continuing effective programs taken up earlier,” the Governor said in his address.

The new government aims to equip farmers with modern agricultural technology and “desires that the farmers of Karnataka should adopt agricultural practices on the Israeli model,” he said.

“My government is aware that education is power and intends to make skill-based vocational training a mandatory part of education,” the Governor said.

“I appeal to the farming community through this august House not to resort to suicide for any reason whatsoever,” he said. The Governor said the government will continue with the implementation of various programs initiated earlier for the welfare of scheduled and backward castes including the construction of new hostels for students.

A health insurance scheme called Arogya Karnataka rolled out partially by the previous government would be fully rolled out this year, the Governor said.