BENGALURU: The state cabinet on Thursday approved an action plan of Rs 600 crore for the development of colonies populated by minorities for the financial years 2026-27 and 2027-28 and implementation of the work.
Under the Minorities Welfare, Hajj and Waqf Department, the most backward colonies populated by minorities, including slums under eleven city corporations across the state, will be developed under the CM’s special development package.
The Finance Department has approved the proposal of the minister concerned for which the cabinet has given its go ahead.
To a query on approval being given for two financial years at one go, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil clarified that the work which were not completed in the previous years naturally get carried to the next financial year.
“We have approved the action plan as all the proposals have come for Rs 600 crore. Will they sit overnight and make an action plan immediately after the Davangere South elections?” he hit back when asked whether the move is to appease Muslims who were distressed over the turn of events.
He added that the exercise on an action plan has started from the beginning which eventually came to the cabinet for approval.
On the Supreme Court asking the state to file a report on re-investigating the Sowjanya murder case following her mother’s plea, the minister said, “We will submit the report if the Supreme Court asked us to submit it.”
SEP next meeting
The cabinet decided to take up a thorough discussion of the State Education Policy (SEP) in the next meeting as certain information has been sought from officials. The committee headed by economist Prof Sukhadeo Thorat had given certain recommendations, including financial implications for the state on adopting SEP.
FRESH INTERNAL QUOTA ORDER SOON
Bengaluru: The cabinet on Thursday decided to withdraw its April 27 order on internal reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and issue a fresh order with some modifications, with regard to the roster for recruitment and also for education. All notifications issued without adapting the internal quota will be withdrawn.
The roster points will be fixed at 400 for Category A SC-Left, B SC-Right and C for Bhovi, Lambani, Koracha, Korama and other 59 nomadic castes, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil said. Under C category, the nomadic castes will get 20 per cent quota. If no one from these castes is eligible, others can claim the posts.
In recruitment, if there are less than three vacancies, all three categories have to fight for the same under SC general. The cabinet also discussed minister D Sudhakar being hospitalised for some time, and rumours surrounding his health. It decided to let the ministers’ family take a call on any announcements on his health, sources said.
OTHER cabinet DECISIONS
Approval to Centre’s High Speed Rail Corridor between Hyderabad and Bengaluru on a stretch of 607.03km with 15 stations, of which 101.03km is under Karnataka -- Tumakuru-Chikkaballapur-Bengaluru Rural with stations at Alipur, Devanahalli and Kodihalli. Approval also given for Bengaluru-Chennai corridor
Approval given to 140 acres of land in Bengaluru Signature Business Park on lease-and-sale basis to Apride Materials Incorporated, California, for setting up a state-of-the-art semiconductor and R&D and innovation ecosystem; total project cost is Rs 780 crore
Financial incentive of Rs 28.47 crore per year approved in the form of VGF (Validity Gap Fund) for management of air services, to Ghodawat Enterprises Pvt Ltd. (Star Airlines), on Bengaluru-Bidar-Bengaluru and Bengaluru-Kalaburagi-Bengaluru routes
School kits containing stationery and books to be distributed to construction workers’ children from Classes 1 to 12, at an estimated cost of Rs 115.84 crore; each kit costs Rs 8,625
Constitution of State High Powered Steering Committee and State Level Technical Committee for management and
monitoring of programmes to be implemented using Urban Challenge Fund of Government of India
Re-asphalting works from State Highway-22 to Chinamalli State Highway-171 (in select parts) at Rs 28.97 crore
Revised estimate to construct the DC’s office in Belagavi at Rs 75 crore with approval of Rs 20 crore additional grants
Rejects Karnataka Lokayukta’s recommendation for a probe against Dr Ashok Kumar Rai, Administrative Medical Officer, Puttur taluk, Dakshina Kannada district, allowing only departmental enquiry
Handing over 12.04 acres in Dasanapura hobli for establishment of a satellite market