NANDI HILLS : The Karnataka cabinet on Wednesday approved projects worth Rs 3,400 crore, of which districts falling under the Bengaluru division, including Kolar and Chikkaballapura, have got a lion’s share of Rs 2,550 crore.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the commitment of the cabinet for development is a fitting response to the Opposition, especially the BJP, which accused the government of not releasing funds for development.
A key decision taken by the Cabinet was to rename Bengaluru Rural district as Bengaluru North and Bagepalli town as Bhagyanagara. Also, Bengaluru City University will be named after former PM Dr Manmohan Singh.
“When we came to power in 2023, we decided to hold cabinet meetings in every revenue division. We held a meeting in Kalaburagi. Recently, we met in MM Hills in Mysuru division. Now, we have conducted it in Nandi Hills in Bengaluru division. The next one will be in Vijayapura in Belagavi division,” the CM said, adding that Cabinet meetings are held across the state to decentralise administration and to focus on the problems faced by every region and provide “therapeutic solutions to them”.
The Cabinet also sanctioned several projects for Nandi Hills, Chikkaballapura, and Kolar. A sum of Rs 50 crore has been granted to develop a hotel and other facilities atop Nandi Hills. The Cabinet also approved Rs 10 crore to set up an international flower auction centre, and a high-tech flower market in Chikkaballapura at a cost of Rs 141.5 crore. Also, Rs 40 crore and Rs 20 crore have been sanctioned to upgrade basic amenities at government boys college and government girls college, respectively, in Kolar.
To develop the second phase of the Bengaluru North campus in Amaravathi village in Shidlaghatta taluk, Rs 123 crore has been set aside.
The Cabinet has also decided to upgrade primary health centre into community health centre at Rs 46 crore and purchase MRI machines for medical colleges in Chikkaballapur and Hubballi at a cost of Rs 21.40 crore.
Cabinet sub-committee to probe illegal mining
Deputy CM DK Shivakumar announced the formation of a Cabinet Sub-Committee under the chairmanship of Law Minister HK Patil to review the progress of the probe into illegal mining, recommend further steps to be taken, and submit a report to the State Government in a month’s time.
Cost of Yettinahole project to escalate further
Sating that drinking water will be provided to 75 lakh people in 9 districts under the Yettinahole project, the CM said, of 24.1 tmcft of water, 14 tmcft is required for drinking water. A revised estimate of Rs 23,251 crore has been made for the project, of which Rs 17,147 crore has been spent so far. Siddaramaiah further said that while overall Rs 8,000 crore is required for completing the remaining project work, Rs 6,000 crore is remaining after spending. “The cost has increased due to land acquisition. The cabinet discussed this, and the matter of providing remaining funds will be placed before the next cabinet through the Finance department,” he said.
Other decisions
Rs 1,125.25 cr to implement residential schools for the children of labourers in all 31 dists
Rs 10 crore to set up two residential schools in Bengaluru to train backward class candidates taking civil services exams
Rs 103 cr grant for renovation and development of Kempe Gowda Fort in Magadi
Rs 21 cr for the purchase of MRI equipment for Nandi Medical College in Chikkaballapura and KIMS, Hubballi
Administrative approval for Irrigation Department to build a reservoir at Mallamma Valley
Upgrade the town municipalities of Bailhongal (Belagavi dist) and Harapanahalli (Vijayanagara dist) to city corporations, Hanumasagara gram panchayat (Koppal dist) into town panchayat
Rs 306 cr to Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society to build 14 residential schools