The State Cabinet on August 19 decided to initiate measures to ensure that local variety of food was given at Indira Canteens in all urban local bodies (ULBs); however, a decision in this regard is yet to be taken with respect to Bengaluru.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, stressed the need for providing regional variety of food like ragi mudde among others.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil said that suppliers would be asked to provide breakfast and two meals at a total cost of ₹62. The consumers will continue to pay ₹5 for breakfast and ₹10 each for the two meals, which together adds up to ₹25 per day.
The government will provide a subsidy of ₹37 to ensure that consumers get food at cheaper rates. A sum of ₹21.29 crore had been sanctioned for repair work of 197 Indira Canteens. He said 188 new Indira Canteens would be established in different ULBs.
Indira Canteens were started during the Siddaramaiah government for providing subsidised food to the poor and unorganised sector workers in urban areas of the State and end hunger.
Dismissed from service
Pappanna, Additional Secretary, Department of Personnel Administrative Reforms (DPAR), has been dismissed from government service on charges of receiving bribes.
The Public Works Department has been asked to rework a DPR prepared for the construction of a road between Kalmal Junction in Raichur and Sindhanur connecting Ballari-Lingasugur road. The estimated cost of the road is ₹1,695 crore. The road would be developed on hybrid annuity mode.
The Cabinet has authorised the Chief Minister to sanction five acres of land for the Karnataka Basketball Association at Gobbaragunte in Devanahalli taluk on the outskirts of Bengaluru, Mr. Patil said.
It has been decided to rename the Sangama village in Hunagunda taluk in Bagalkot district as Koodala Sangama in the revenue department records. A sum of ₹27.28 crore has been sanctioned for construction of a hostel at Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences, Kodagu, and ₹138 crore has been sanctioned for construction of 450-bed hospital attached to the Gadag Institute of Medical Sciences, Gadag.
Administrative approval was given for utilisation of ₹146 crore under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund of NABARD for lifting water from the Tungabhadra river to villages of Raichur taluk. A sum of ₹78.13 crore has been sanctioned for strengthening of education from class one to class IX in government schools, Mr. Patil.
With regard to a pending case in the Supreme Court on supply of nutrients to anganwadi centres by a supplier, the government has decided to deposit ₹274 crore to hear the case on the merit. Following the Supreme Court directive, the Cabinet has decided to seek four-weeks’ time to deposit the money, Mr. Patil said.
The supplier had challenged the government’s decision to stop supply of nutrients to the centres under the Integrated Child Development Services of the Women and Child Development department and the supplier had moved to the apex court. Mr. Patil said a decision has been taken to appoint H.G. Nagarathna, sessions court judge (retd), as the legal adviser to the Women and Child Development Department of the State.
