BENGALURU: Under the Nirbhaya project, the Karnataka cabinet on Thursday approved the development of a safety app for women travelling in KSRTC buses. The app will include a panic button, GPS tracking system for buses, detailed information on bus schedules and information on 500 bus stops across the state, said Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister JC Madhuswamy.
At the cost of Rs 40 crore approved by the Union government on a 60:40 sharing basis under the project, the cabinet also gave a go-ahead to install CCTV cameras in some 5000 buses apart from training 3,000 women staff of KSRTC in self-defence.
“The app is aimed at ensuring the safety of women travelling in KSRTC buses. Any private participation will be bound to protocols on data sharing,” he added. The cabinet also approved setting up of an Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Tech Park under the public-private partnership (PPP) model at a cost of Rs 60 crore.
A cabinet sub-committee headed by Forest Minister Anand Singh has been approved by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to give recommendations to the union government on the implementation of Dr Kasturirangan report on deemed areas surrounding national parks and wildlife sanctuaries as ecosensitive zones.
An additional grant of Rs 18.75 crore has been approved by the cabinet for the development of Church Street in Bengaluru under Tendersure. To encourage payment of dues, the cabinet also approved a rebate on 50 per cent on interest by defaulters holding BDA civic amenity sites.
Rs 65.28 crore will be invested in exploration for iron ore in Karnataka. The cabinet has chosen government of India agencies KIOCL and MECL for the purpose. The cabinet also decided to merge more than two dozen gram panchayats and upgrade them to town panchayats and municipal councils. The move comes ahead of the pending gram panchayat elections.
A host of developmental activities, including irrigation projects running into crores, received administrative approvals by the cabinet. A ten gunta plot was approved for the construction of a BJP office in Belagavi.