Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai arrives for the cabinet meeting at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on Tuesday | Nagaraja Gadekal
BENGALURU: To fast-track promotions among the lower ranks in the Police Department, the State Government has decided to reduce from five to four years the minimum number of years required to be considered for promotion.
Briefing media persons after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said the cabinet decision will apply to promotions up to the rank of Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), and the move will help proceed with promotions that were held up.
In the normal course, a minimum of eight years of experience in a particular rank is required to be considered for promotion. But, if eligible candidates are not available, those with five years of experience are also being considered. This has now been reduced to four years, the minister explained.
The cabinet took the decision based on a proposal submitted by the Home Department on promotions of Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASI). Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said the decision will help Assistant Sub-Inspectors get promotion to the next rank.
The cabinet also approved the upgradation of the Digital UHF radio communication network in the Police Department under the police modernisation project. A total of Rs 14.65 crore has been sanctioned for this and the State Government will pitch in with Rs 9 crore while the remaining will be borne by the Centre.
The government has also decided to increase financial assistance provided to senior citizens under its ‘Sandhya Suraksha’ scheme by Rs 200.
Madhuswamy said the cabinet decided to increase the monthly old-age pension for those above 60 years of age from Rs 600 to Rs 800 and for those above 65 years of age from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200. It will be an additional burden of Rs 207 crore on the exchequer. “It will benefit around 34 lakh beneficiaries,” he said.
The cabinet also approved a master plan for the Khar Land scheme in Uttara Kannada district. The Minor Irrigation Department had a budgetary provision of Rs 1,500 crore and provision of Rs 300 crore was made for this year.
Madhuswamy said the project aims to prevent surge of saltwater from the sea to rivers due to high tides and floods. Every year, the surge was around 1.5 km and the project aims to prevent that salinity so that freshwater can be used for agriculture, prawn culture and to provide drinking water. It can also be stored for two to three months, the minister said. In the budget, the government had announced the project and proposed the construction of flap gates under the scheme, with an outlay of Rs 300 crore.
Cabinet Decisions
Wind Power
32 acres of land at Savadatti in Belagavi district will be given on 30-year lease for wind power generation by Rohan Solar, a private firm.
Proroguing session
The cabinet decided to prorogue the Assembly and Council session.
Government Guarantee
The state will give a guarantee for readjustment of Rs 1,550 crore by Karnataka State Cooperatives Agriculture and Rural Development Bank from NABARD (National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development).
Kits For Students
The cabinet decided to allocate Rs 24.8 crore for providing kits consisting of soap and hair oil by Mysuru Soaps and Detergents to students staying in hostels of Vocational Training Institutes.
