Karnataka government increases Contingency Fund to Rs 500 Cr

Bengaluru: As there is a huge raise in number of Covid-19 cases, Bengaluru state government made a forward step to control the number. The State Cabinet on Thursday decided to have ministers in charge of each BBMP zone in the city. It also approved enhancing the Contingency fund limit to Rs 500 Cr in the pandemic.

Speaking on the issue, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said, "One minister will be given charge of each of the eight zones to supervise containment measures. State Chief Secretary T M Vijaya Bhaskar appointed eight senior IAS officers to take charge of the eight zones. The officials have been empowered to not just oversee Covid-19 containment measures, but also pass orders as they deem fit to arrest the spread of the virus."

Senior IAS officers Tushar Girinath (Bengaluru East), Rajendra Kumar Kataria (West), Munish Moudgil (Bengaluru South), Captain P Manivannan (Bommanahalli), Navin Raj Singh (Yelahanka), Dr P C Jaffer (Dasarahalli), Dr N Manjula (Mahadevapura), and Dr R Vishal (RR Nagar) have been appointed as executive chiefs.

Deputy Chief Minister Ashwathnarayana, Ministers V Somanna, Suresh Kumar, R Ashok, S T Somashekhar, K Gopalaiah, Byrati Basavaraj and the Chief Minister's Political Secretary, S R Vishwanath, will be the in-charges of the eight zones in Bengaluru.

The cabinet also approved an ordinance increasing the ceiling on the Contingency Fund from Rs 80 Cr to Rs 500 Cr to meet expenses towards the Covid-19 economic relief package. "This is a one-time measure since the government needs to release funds to various beneficiaries like farmers, barbers, weavers, auto drivers, cab drivers, etc., as announced in the relief package," says Madhuswamy.

The Emergency Fund allows the government to spend on non-budgeted expenses. As part of its Covid-19 related decisions, the cabinet approved Rs 207 crore for setting up of high-flow medical oxygen pipelines, scaling up of beds, civil and electrical works and facilities at Taluk and district level Covid-19 designated hospitals.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa cancelled the Covid-19 review meeting with MLA's, MP's and corporators as he thought holding zone wise meetings will be more useful.