This year, the government is expected to host the winter session in Belagavi from December 4 to 15. To facilitate the accommodation and services for legislators, their staff, and government officials during the session, Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) Commissioner Ashok Dugunti has generously offered to settle the bills of hotel and lodge owners who provided these facilities last year.
Once the dates for the winter session are announced, all hotels will swiftly be reserved to accommodate the staff and elected representatives. If you are planning to visit Belagavi during this period, be prepared to see the dreaded “No vacancy” sign in all hotels, as the district administration has secured 90% of the available rooms in the city for the legislators and other attendees of the Karnataka assembly’s winter session. Not only will the MLAs be present, but also ministers, secretaries, and other officials.
During a meeting with hotel and lodge owners on Monday, Commissioner Dugunti assured them that their bills would be thoroughly examined and then submitted to the district administration for approval. The city authorities had previously held a meeting with these owners, urging them to reserve rooms for public representatives and government officers attending the session. However, the hotel owners expressed their dissatisfaction with the pending bills for the 2022 winter session.
Ajay Pai, the president of the Belagavi Hotel Owners’ Association (BHOA), revealed that Dudagunti had requested the association to gather all the necessary details within a week. This includes information on which hotels have received payments and which ones are still awaiting settlement. Interestingly, a few prominent hotels in the city have yet to register as members of BHOA.
The first session was held in 2006 in KLE society’s JNMC hall and 10 sessions have been held in these 16 years.
Expenses for holding a session at Belagavi-
2013 – 8 crores
2014 – 14 crores
2015 – 13 crores
2016 – 16 crores
2017 – 31 crores
2018 – 13.85 crores
2019 – Session not held
2020 – Session not held
2021 – 30-34 Crores (approx)
2022 – 37 Crores estimated
2023 – ????? Crores