7 Things the New Government Must do for a Prosperous Karnataka

"Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us" Franklin D. Roosevelt

1. Maintain law and order

The primary responsibility of any government is to maintain law and order. In recent past, the Karnataka government has performed miserably in upholding the rule of law and reforming the criminal justice system in the state. In an appalling incident, Karnataka Lokayukta P Vishwanatha Shetty was stabbed three times in his office in broad daylight on March 7 this year. Rationalist MM Kalburgi was murdered on August 30, 2015. Journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh was also murdered last year. D K Ravi, one of the most efficient, most hardworking IAS officers who had taken many anti-corruption measures was found hanging at his residence in March 2015. Security of every citizen is a necessary condition for a free and prosperous society.

In 2016, Karnataka recorded the second-highest number of farmer suicides in India, trailing only Maharashtra. As many as 3,515 farmers in Karnataka committed suicide between April 2013 and November 2017, out of which 2,525 were due to drought and farm failure as per the statistics provided by the State Agriculture Department. Misguided policies by successive governments have crippled the agriculture sector in the state. The new government must take corrective measures to ensure smooth functioning of agriculture and allied markets.

CM Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s company Matrix Imaging Solutions was awarded a tender to set up a pathology laboratory inside the premises of the government-owned super-specialty Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute. The deal violated the code of conduct for ministers. The new government must refrain from such favouritisms and take corrective steps to reduce corruption in the state.

The Department of Information and Public Relations reportedly spent ₹56 crores over the last three months to highlight achievements of the Congress-led state government. The new government must make sure that our hard-earned money is used for our benefit and is not spent in a frivolous manner.

Given the lack of development across some of the districts in the state, particularly in the northern regions, the new government must make sure that development projects are not concentrated only in the southern areas. The new administration should make sure that investment in public infrastructure is evenly distributed and ensure an environment where entrepreneurs can easily start businesses and create wealth. It should also fully implement the recommendations of the Nanjundappa Committee.

Karnataka is thirsty, and it is about to become thirstier. According to the 2011 Census, water demand in Bengaluru alone was about 18 Thousand Million Cubic Feet (TMC). The shortfall was recorded to be about 5.8 TMC. By 2031, the shortfall is expected to grow to 10.7 TMCs. The incoming administration must make sure that the water supply remains uninterrupted across the state.

A 2017 Indian Institute of Science report said the state capital may become unlivable by 2030 if the traffic congestion and pollution levels are left unchecked. Bengaluru’s potholes are now legendary. The once beautiful lakes are now foaming due to illegal dumping of waste mixed with untreated sewage. The city was on the list of the top 10 metros worldwide that are fast moving towards ‘Day Zero’—when taps run dry according to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment. Cities are the primary engines of growth, as the Silicon Valley of India, Bengaluru has enormous potential to contribute to the state’s growth if only the government can make it liveable.