Cabinet clears 20 key decisions ahead of winter session

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil disclosed that the Cabinet had cleared some 20 proposals ahead of the coming winter session of the state Legislature. He said that the decisions were approved in a Cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the same day. Patil made the disclosure at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on Friday. Among the decisions, approval was given to two Bills namely the Karnataka (Mineral Rights and Mineral Bearing Land) Tax Bill and the Karnataka Financial Institutions Protection of the Interests of Depositors (Amendment) Bill. Last week, nine more Bills had been given the green light. The 12 approved Bills will be tabled in the upcoming winter session of the Assembly slated to begin at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on Sunday.

The Karnataka Minor Minerals Rules will also be amended. The Cabinet expects an additional Rs 311 crore from the decision. “Royalty rate was Rs 70 per metric tonne (of mined mineral). It is increased to Rs 80. With that, we’ll get Rs 311 crore additional revenue,” Patil said. Other decisions approved on Thursday include concession for compulsory admission to minority educational institutions. Under the amendment of the Karnataka Educational institutions (conditions and rules for granting recognition to minority educational institutions), two-thirds of the seats in minority educational institutions will be earmarked for minorities.

Nod for OTS: Moreover, Minister for Mines and Geology and Horticulture SS Mallikarjun took a favourable view of a One Time Settlement for stone mining violations. Patil revealed that initially a penalty of Rs 6,105.98 crores had been levied on private mining companies. Violations are said to include mining beyond the area allotted to said companies, exceeding the mining lease and non-payment of royalties, among other issues. “You must remember that we levied fines worth Rs 6,105.98 crores. However, nothing has been received so far. They have their own objections like the quantum of (illegal) extractions,” Patil said.

“In 11 districts, DGPS, meaning Differential Global Positioning System, drone survey was done. We have observed how much illegality has taken place and the Cabinet has granted approval for a one-time settlement,” he said, adding that there were 2,438 violations and pending royalties alone accounted for Rs 1,221 crore. Approval was also granted to the tinkering of rules pertaining to the issuance of birth and death certificates. Soft copies of the certificates would be provided through an electronic medium after the amendment to the rules. Others include the merger of food safety and drug control departments, inter-corporate / public sector undertakings deposits through sovereign guarantee from the Cabinet and bringing all offices of the Social Welfare Department under one roof. About Rs 40 crore has been granted for a new Samaj Kalyana Bhawan at Sampanginagar in Bengaluru. The Red Line of the Bengaluru Metro from Sarjapur to Hebbal was also approved at a cost of Rs 28,405 crores. Other approvals included various road repair works in Bengaluru, Jewargi taluk in Kalaburagi district and other places in the state.