Karnataka: Speaker UT Khader plans recliner chairs for legislators

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 26 (ANI): Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker UT Khader is taking steps to arrange recliner chairs for legislators to rest during the upcoming Karnataka Legislative Assembly session, which begins next month.
As in previous sessions, free snacks and meals will be provided. Additionally, to prevent legislators from leaving after lunch to rest elsewhere, Speaker U.T. Khader has decided to set up recliner chairs within the Assembly lounge itself.
"For this joint budget session, around 15 to 20 recliner chairs will be rented to allow legislators to take short naps after lunch", Khader stated.
The recliner chairs will not be purchased since the Assembly does not function throughout the year. Sessions are held for only about 30 days annually. Therefore, instead of buying them, the chairs will be rented and returned after the session ends.
"Several reforms and measures have already been implemented to improve legislators' attendance in the Assembly. This initiative is also part of that effort, and it is expected to further increase attendance," he added.
The Karnataka legislative Assembly session will start on March 3 on Monday at 11:00 am.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders who criticised the state's economy under his leadership, saying he is working diligently to bring the economy back on track after the previous BJP government's mismanagement.
"The reality is that during the BJP's rule, the state's economy was pushed to the brink of collapse," Siddaramaiah said in a statement.
"Now, while sitting in the opposition, they are speaking as if they are great economists. Our government is working hard to bring the state's economy back on track after the mismanagement and chaos caused by the BJP's irresponsible financial policies. It is unfortunate that the BJP cannot accept or understand this," he added.
The chief minister said that the BJP government took up projects worth seven times more than the budget allocated.
"As of March 31, 2023, they left behind unpaid bills worth RS. 2,70,695 crores for key departments like Public Works, Minor Irrigation, Water Resources, Urban Development, Rural Development, and Housing. They also approved projects worth RS. 1,66,426 crores under the Chief Minister's discretionary fund. Can such financial mismanagement, irresponsibility, and corruption be fixed in just a few years?" Siddaramaiah said.
He alleged that despite the BJP-led central government under Narendra Modi "exploiting Karnataka's resources", the state BJP leaders remained silent.
"This is akin to a lamb being skinned alive while it continues to graze, oblivious to its plight," he said. (ANI)