BANGALORE: The state government has decided to change the norms for educational institutions to qualify themselves as linguistic or religious minority institutions for the implementation of Right to Education(RTE) Act in primary education.
The state Cabinet which discussed the issue in detail on Friday decided to amend the existing rules to accord the status of minority institution to any school/ educational institution being run by people belonging to minority communities.
According to the proposed new rule, if the number of students belonging to the community that runs the institution is not less than 25 per cent of its strength, it can be considered as a minority institution. The previous law stipulated that at least 75 per cent of the students should be from the concerned minority community to accord the status of minority institution for getting exemption from the RTE Act.
Such institutions will be exempted from compulsory allocation of 25 per cent of seats to students from weaker sections whose fee will be paid by the government.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters that the change in rule was in the wake of the High Court issuing a stay order against the state government’s earlier rule.
The court had directed the state to bring a new legislation.
New Company to Ease Mining Damage
The Cabinet on Friday gave its nod to set up Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Company Ltd (KMERCL) to provide basic amenities to people in mining-ravaged areas of Bellary, Tumkur and Chitradurga districts.
The decision was taken in accordance with the Supreme Court directive to set up such a company.
KMERCL will implement projects under the Comprehensive Environment Plan for Mining-Impact Zones, Minister Jayachandra said and added that it would work for mitigating the impact of mining.
It will take up afforestation programmes and address issues in the field of education, health, nutrition, water supply, employment and minor irrigation. The KMERCL will receive funds already collected by the Monitoring Committee from A, B and C category mines in the form of compensation (fine) from sale proceeds of existing stock in accordance with the guidelines fixed by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC). “About Rs 10,000 crore has already been collected. We are hoping to get about Rs 30,000 crore from the mines which had violated various rules,” he said. The cabinet has also decided to ask State-owned Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd to study the extent of iron ore mined and reserves left in C category mines, to speed up the process of auctioning of mines to comply with the Supreme Court directive.