BENGALURU: The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday gave administrative approval to the state’s Electricity Supply Companies (Escoms) to borrow Rs 13,708.32 crore as loans. Addressing the media after a cabinet meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy said the cabinet has given the go-ahead to five electricity supply companies, including Bescom which can borrow Rs 2,526 crore, Cesc Mysuru (Rs 1,398 crore), Gescom (Rs 2,120) and Mescom (Rs 125.42 crore).
The cabinet also authorised Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to fill a vacant post of a member in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC). Approval was also given to upgrade 30 ITIs out of the total 150, at an estimated cost of Rs 927 crore, of which Rs 113 will be borne by the state government and the remaining by Tata Technologies, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. In order to increase satellite data resolution, Rs 18 crore more will be spent to procure data.
The Karnataka Renewable Energy Policy 2022-2027 has been amended by increasing the area of land to generate per MW of power from 3.5 acres to 4 acres.
The other cabinet decisions include, setting up a government tool room and training centre at Bommai’s hometown Shiggavi at a cost of Rs 73.75 crore, a multi-skill training centre at a boys’ hostel at Nelagola in Haveri at a cost of Rs 37.55 crore, a Vistara Soudha at Soraba to bring all government offices under one roof, which will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 49.60 crore, construction of Madikeri District Police Office at a cost of Rs 12 crore, approval for the revised estimation of Chikkaballapura-Nelamangala road at Rs 10.13 crore, implementation of a multi-village drinking water project for
122 villages in Chamarajanagar at a cost of Rs 26 crore, of which the Centre’s share will be Rs 11.5 crore and the state’s contribution Rs 14.5 crore.
A multi-storeyed commercial complex will come up at Kalyana Karnataka Road Transportation premises in Kalaburagi at a cost of Rs 26 crore. Madhuswamy also expressed hope that Karnataka would succeed in the legal battle in getting 25 per cent quota for Kannadigas in the National Law School of India University (NLSUI), which is coming up for hearing in the Supreme Court on Friday. “The Karnataka High Court had struck down the appeal following which we appealed before the Supreme Court”, he said.