Dr. M. Veerappa Moily

Moodbidri Veerappa Moily ((born January 12, 1940) is the Minister for Law, Justice and Company Affairs in the Government of India.He is a former Chief Minister of the Indian state of Karnataka (19 Nov 1992 - 11 Dec 1994). He was elected to Karnataka state legislative assembly from Karkala constituency of Udupi district. He was first person to become Chief Minister of Karnataka from the undivided South Canara district (now split into Dakshina Kannada and Udupi).

Biography

Current

Currently, Moily is working as chairman of the Overseeing Committee appointed for Implementation of Reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBC) by the Government of India. He is also appointed as the Chairman of Second Administrative Reform Commission of India. This commission has presented eight reports to date. He was also the President of the Media Wing of the Congress and Head Spokesperson of the party for many years. However, in May 2009, just before the general elections, when he tried to publicly discount the importance being given to major Opposition leaders Nitish Kumar and Mr.L.K.Advani whom Moily's own party was actually trying to woo, he was relinquished from both posts and Janardan Dwivedi took charge.

Career Background

• 2009 – present: Minister of Law and Justice, Govt. of India
• 2006 – 2009: Chairman of the Oversight Committee for implementation of 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in central educational institutions
• 2002 – 2004: Chairman, Revenue Reforms Commission
• 2000 – 2002: Chairman, Tax Reforms Commission
• 1992 – 1994: Chief Minister of Karnataka
• 1989 – 1992: Minister for Law, Youth Service, Culture, Information, Parliamentary Affairs and Education, Govt. of Karnataka
• 1983 – 1985: Leader of Opposition, Karnataka Assembly
• 1980 – 1982: Minister for Finance and Planning, Govt. of Karnataka
• 1974 – 1977: Minister for Small Scale Industries, Govt. of Karnataka
• Appointed to various committees by Indira Gandhi one of which led to the setting up of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
• Practiced law in the courts of Karkala, Mangalore, High Court in Bangalore and at the Supreme Court of India.
• Led the implementation of economic reforms in Karnataka in 1992 and also responsible for drafting & implementing the Karnataka Land Reforms Act in 1974.
• Led several projects, policies and achievements of the State of Karnataka in ministries and sectors such as Finance, Irrigation and Power, Urban Development and Infrastructure, Housing and Rural Development, Empowerment, Education and Culture.
• Author of epic poem Sri Ramayana Mahanveshanam in five volumes containing 42,295 lines in Kannada. It is also being translated into Hindi and being published by Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, New Delhi.
• Authored ‘Musings on India’ Part 1 & 2 in English containing articles on contemporary issues including public finance.
• Regular columnist for leading print publications and electronic media.
• Currently writing a book on the steps to be taken to make India an economic superpower by year 2020.

Summary of Achievements

Chairman of Tax Reforms Commission

• Formulated a systematic reform of the tax system resulting in improved revenue productivity and competitiveness of the State of Karnataka.
• Karnataka Chief Minister SM Krishna, implemented 80% of the recommendations from the commission resulting in tax revenues increases of Rs. 2200 crores in 2003-04 from recommendations of the commission.

Chairman of Revenue Reforms Commission

• Report submitted during November 2003 recommending reforms in Irrigation, Health, Education and Forest Departments
• Revenue increases of Rs. 1800 crores from the commission’s recommendations.

Finance

• Presented the Karnataka State Budgets for 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1980-81, 1981-82 & 1982-83.
• Set records of revenue surplus during every stint as Finance Minister.

Irrigation and Power

• Led unprecedented and huge outlays in irrigation works and helped maximize the irrigation potential of Karnataka.
• Developed innovative financing schemes such as Irrigation bonds which were appreciated by the Reserve Bank of India and the World Bank.
• Cleared and conceived massive works on the power generation and power distribution system in Karnataka that substantially reduced the power shortage position in Karnataka.
• Established Krishna Jalabhagya Nigam scheme which mobilised Rs. 13,000 crores for irrigation projects.

Rural and Urban Development and Infrastructure

• Formulated and implemented various drinking water schemes and employment guarantee schemes and housing schemes.
• Established the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance to formulate and appraise infrastructure development projects, mobilization of funds from different sources, implementation of urban infrastructure projects, and capacity building/training on urban development issues.
• Initiated various projects such as the International Airport in Bangalore, International Convention Centre, Konkan Railway, and National Games in Bangalore.
• Sanctioned and implemented the Rs. 1200 crores ADB aid programme for the coastal region of Karnataka.

Education

• Chief Architect of the new Common Entrance Test (CET) system launching an admission policy for technical education founded on merit, transparency and social justice.
• Established the nation’s leading law institute, The National Law School University.
• Executed the Total Literacy Programme in the State of Karnataka.
• Worked with the World Bank to execute Universalisation of Primary Education.
• Oversaw the reform in University Education in Karnataka. He established six universities such as Kannada University, Rajiv Gandhi Medical University, Visweshwariah Technical University, Karnataka Open University, Mangalore University and Gulbarga University.

Industry

• Laid the foundation for the growth of Information Technology industry in Bangalore through various incentives to Indian and multinational companies.
• Established the International Information Technology Park (ITPL) at Whitefield in Bangalore.
• Established the Electronic City, an IT industrial estate at Anekal, Karnataka. Electronic City now exports Rs. 25,000 crores worth of software per annum.
• Established the Peenya Industrial estate which is the biggest of its kind in Asia.
• Announced the new Industrial Policy in 1993, in tune with the liberalization policy of the Govt of India, which resulted in investment projects worth Rs. 87,000 crores in Karnataka.
• Sanctioned and facilitated the establishment of the major employment generating companies such as the Vijaynagar Steel Plant, MRPL, BSAF and Wipro in Karnataka.

Publications

Law Minister Mr. M.Veerappa Moily has a written a book “The edge of time” It is a Kannada novel Tembare which examines, a complex cultural practice of coastal Karnataka, called bhutaradhane, or the worship of hero-spirits. The Pambada community, a marginalised dalit community, has as its hereditary profession, spirit impersonation during elaborate rituals. Mr. Moily explored two responses to this traditional and exploitative profession through two Pambada brothers: one who rebels and opts for formal education, and the other who tries to revive the true spirit of the ancient practice. (courtesy : Prasanta Varma, Advocate, Supreme Court of India). Mr. Moily is an advocate by profession, he entered politics about four decades ago and he became the chief minister of Karnataka in the year 1992.

Veerappa Moily is a prominent literary figures in Karnataka . He is also a regular columnist for leading print and electronic media including The Hindu, Deccan Herald, Samyukta Karnataka. Some of his well known publications are listed below

• Sri Ramayana Mahanveshanam - the poem will be published across five volumes, Volumes I – IV have already been released from February 2001 to March 2004. Originally published in Kannada, the epic poem is being translated into Hindi.
• Musings on India – a collection of articles, Sapna Publications and Full Circle, New Delhi, 2001
• Suligali, Sagardeepa, Kotta and Thembare. Originally written in Kannada, these anthropological novels have been translated into Hindi, English and Tamil. Kotta has been telecast as a telefilm in Kannada and Hindi directed by M.S Sathyu.
• Milana, Parajitha and Premavendare - Dramas
• Halu-Jenu Maththe, Nadeyali Samara and Yakshaprashne – a collection of poems.

Awards

• Ameen Sadbhavana Award in 2000
• Devaraj Urs Prashasthi in 2001
• Aryabhatta Award in 2001
• Dr. B.R Ambedkar Award in 2002

Personal Details

• B.A, B.L., Partner in Law Firm - Moily Associates
• Born on 12 January 1940 at Marpadi Village, Moodibidri, Dakshina Kannada District, Karnataka
• Married to Malathi with four children, three grandsons and two granddaughters
• Languages spoken include Tulu (Mother tongue),kannada, english, and Hindi.