Overview
- Addressing contractors protesting at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, D. K. Shivakumar said he and PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi will arrange a meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during the current session.
- Shivakumar proposed creating a dedicated Legislative Council seat for contractors, likening it to existing constituencies for teachers, graduates, and arts.
- He put total unpaid bills near ₹37,000 crore, including about ₹13,000 crore in his departments and roughly ₹3,000 crore under Minister N. S. Boseraju.
- The deputy chief minister suggested raising up to ₹50,000 crore through bonds as a way to clear pending payments and stabilize finances.
- He criticized previous BJP-led state administrations and the Union government for funding gaps on projects such as Upper Bhadra and Bengaluru urban works, even as he urged contractors to pursue dialogue over public protests.