20.02.2010: Cabinet Meet

UGC pay-scale for agriculture universities

The state Cabinet in its meeting on Saturday approved the implementation of the revised UGC pay scales for teachers and equivalent cadres in agriculture and horticulture universities and colleges.

The decision was taken as the National Council for Agricultural research had recommended UGC pay scale for agriculture and horticulture universities, Home Minister V S Acharya said The total amount that would be paid as arrears up to March 31, 2010 would be nearly Rs 200 crore, of which Rs 159.52 crores would be borne by the Centre and the rest by the state government. The annual recurring expenditure of about Rs 100 crore would be borne entirely by the state government, Acharya said.

Mining in 6 blocks: The State government on Saturday decided to allow mining in another six blocks of forest land. (It may be recalled that the SM Krishna Govt had de reserved 22 blocks in 2003, thus allowing mining in those blocks. Of these 22 blocks 6 blocks have now been opened for mining, with strict adherance to laid guidelines)

Mining will be allowed in nearly 13,630 hectares of forest land in Bellary, Shimoga and Mysore districts, if the mining firms agree to adhere to the conditions laid down in the Karnataka Mining Policy-2009.

State to open six blocks of forest land for mining

The State Cabinet on Saturday decided to open up six blocks of forest land, including some in the reserved forest area, in the State for mining activities.
The Cabinet decided to reserve these blocks for mining purposes, Home Minister V S Acharya told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.However, the Cabinet decided against allowing mining in the ecologically-sensitive Western Ghats region.

Mining firms should fulfil two main conditions effecting value addition to ore and securing permission from the Union Ministry of Environment, Ecology and Forest and the State High Level Clearance Committee - for mining in these blocks, Acharya said.

The then Government in 2003 had de-reserved these blocks of land (removing the revenue land tag from them) and handed over their ownership to the Forest department. It is only on the Forest land mining is allowed. Mining cannot be done on Revenue land, as per the rule book.

Approval has been accorded to develop 3 kms of four-lane road to Bidadi Industrial Area from Mysore road (near Coca-cola factory) at the cost of Rs 15 crore.

The Cabinet granted farm land to five educational and religious institutions in various parts of the State. They are Brahmakumari Eshwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya, Belgaum (6 acres), Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny Institution, H D Kote (8 acres), Anjuman Islam, Hangal (2.3 s), Bharatiya Yoga Dharma, Mysore (3.11 acres) and Mysore University Employees’ Housing Cooperative Society, Mysore, (2.16 acres).

Other decisions

* Bring in 33 amendments to the Karnataka Cooperative Act, as per the recommendations of L Vaidyanathan Committee report.
* Rs 17.18 crore drinking water project to Banahatti town, Bagalkot
* Rs 28 crore UGD project to Honnavara town
* Rs 16 crore drinking water project to Belur town
* Rs 71 crore UGD project to Sagar town
* Withdrawal of 16 police cases in Dharwad, Baindur and Bagalkot.

(DHNS)