BENGALURU: The State government has proposed to make the chief minister the chancellor of Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University (KSRDPRU). The Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Draft Bill, 2024, was approved by the cabinet on Thursday. The draft bill proposes transfer of the Governor’s powers to the CM.
Law Minister HK Patil told reporters after the cabinet meeting that with the amendment, the CM will be the Chancellor. They decided to amend the bill to take decisions and execute works quickly. Many states have a similar system, he said.
“All powers vested with the Governor will get transferred to the Chief Minister,” he said. The KSRDPRU is related to government administration, rural development and panchayats, and in order to manage it academically, they proposed to make the CM the Chancellor, he said.
Karnataka tourism ropeways bill gets approval
Asked about other universities in the state, Patil said, “When other university amendment issues come up, we will talk about it too.” He, however, said all state universities work under the Karnataka University Act, and are different from the KSRDPRU. Interestingly, the Governor has to give approval to the amendment bill.
The cabinet also approved the Chanakya University Amendment Bill to have a government nominee as a member of the university's BOARD OF GOVERNORS. Usually, all private universities have a government nominee, but when Chanakya University started in 2021, a government nominee was not included.
The cabinet also approved the Karnataka Tourism Ropeways Bill, 2024, which will be placed in both Houses of the legislature during the upcoming winter session in Belagavi. Patil said a survey has been conducted at 12 places to introduce ropeway facilities, which will be done under the private-public partnership. Work on Nandi Hills has started and a survey at Yadgir has begun. Anjanadri and Kodachadri are on the list, and no decision has been taken on Chamundi Hills in Mysuru.