Cabinet Meet 21.09.2010

BANGALORE: Farmers have a reason to cheer because the cabinet on Tuesday gave nod to the developed land compensation scheme of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB).

The scheme will do away with giving cash as compensation to land losers. Instead, they will get a whopping 9,583 sqft of developed land per every acre of land acquired by the KIADB. The compensation deal has been brought on par with the BDA package, which awards over 9,500 sqft of developed land as compensation for the land loser. The board, which functions under the commerce and industries department, was awarding 8,500 sqft land or cash in form of compensation.

"Our priority is farmers and they should get real value for the land they lose. The department not only gives land, but also developed ones as compensation, that too more than 9,500 sq ft,'' home minister V S Acharya said.

OTHER DECISIONS

* The Vajpayee Arogya scheme will be extended to Belgaum division districts. The scheme is being implemented only in Gulbarga division at present

* Rs 8 crore approved to set up effluent-treatment plants at Victoria and Bowring hospitals

* Rs 2,038-crore Asia Development Bank (ADB) for developing nine roads by Karnataka State Highway Infrastructure Project (K-SHIP)

* 50% reservation for women in panchayats while choosing president and vice-presidents

* 3,780km of road network will be developed in 189 rural assembly segments at a rate of 20 km per constituency. Rs 28 lakh to be given to each segment for construction and maintenance of the road

* Enhanced Pension Scheme: Employees in the age group of 80-85 would get a 20 per cent hike, 85-90 years 30 per cent hike and those above 90 years, a 50 per cent hike. In the event of the death of retired employees, benefits would go to their family members (DHNS)

TOI/PTI