Bommai Cabinet to refer quota hike to Centre for inclusion in 9th Schedule

BENGALURU: The Basavaraj Bommai Cabinet, which met on Thursday, has decided to refer the hike in reservation for SCs and STs to the Centre to be included under the 9th Schedule after amendment. The state government had recently announced increasing reservation for SCs to 17 per cent and for STs Rs to 7 per cent. It also approved a Rs 13,000 crore loan for electricity supply companies (Escoms).

Briefing reporters afer the meeting, Law Minister J C Madhuswamy said the cabinet has approved setting up of an agricultural sciences college at Hagari in Ballari district, allocation of Rs 18 crore for high resolution satellite datalink and amending the Energy policy for 2022-27.

The cabinet also gave its approval for increasing the bed capacity of the government hospital at Honnali in Davanagere district from 200 to 300 beds, and the revised estimate of Rs 10.13 crore from Rs 8.40 crore for upgradation of the Chikkaballapur-Nelamangala road, Madhuswamy said.

Among other decisions, the cabinet approved Rs 49.60 grant for the Vistara Soudha at Soraba, one acre of land at Yellapur village for the Banavasi Kalyana Samsthe to construct a hostel for tribal students, Rs 26 crore under Jal Jeevan Mission to provide tapped water to 166 villages in Chamarajanagar district, Rs 131 crore as state’s share for upgradation of 30 ITIs in association with Tata Technologies, Rs 73.75 crore for the government warehouse and training centre at Kalyana village in Shiggaon taluk, Rs 37.55 crore for a students’ hostel at the multi-skill training centre at Nelagola village in Haveri, and Rs 12 crore for construction of the office of the Superintendent of Police at Madikeri.