BENGALURU: The state government has given a clean chit to the huge cost escalation incurred during the previous BJP government in the construction of the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi.The state government had ordered a probe into the huge costs following allegations of financial irregularities in the construction.The probe was conducted by Additional Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar. The construction cost of the stately structure had escalated to `438 crore from the initial estimate of `230 crore.
The state Cabinet on Wednesday accepted the report submitted by Vijay Bhaskar, which had not found any irregularities in the construction of the building. Talking about Cabinet decisions, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said the inquiry committee found no lapses in the construction.The Cabinet has approved the proposal for the construction of a 300-bed super speciality hospital in Srinivasapura taluk of Kolar district under PPP model and an upgrade of 100-bedded taluk hospital in Chitradurga district.
OTHER DECISIONS OF CABINET
D4.10 cr approved for taking up additional construction works in the new building of Commissioner of Police in Mysuru.
Proposal cleared for taking up underground drainage works in Dandeli city at a cost of D146cr.
Uderground drainage works in Haliyal town in Uttara Kannada district at a cost of D76cr.
Clearance for procurement of Electronic Score Board and related equipments for Basket Ball Court in Kanteerava Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru.
Wireless judiciary
The Cabinet has given its nod for the implementation of Integrated Court Management System in High Court of Karnataka and its benches in Dharwad and Kalaburagi. With this, court offices would become paperless and enable judges to post judgments online and hold trial through video conferences. The estimated cost of the project is D43.5 crore and it would be executed in three years.
Private universities
Karnataka is set to get three more private universities as the cabinet has approved draft bills to set up Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara University, Jagath University and Khaja Bandanawaz University. The bills for setting up the universities is likely to be tabled in the next session of the state legislature.