The Cabinet, that met without the 18 BJP ministers who resigned on Tuesday, took decisions that will take the two projects — the proposed multi-product Special Economic Zone in Nandagudi and the mega-budget SEZ in Mangalore — to the next level.

Speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraj Horatti said promoters SKIL Infrastructure Ltd had submitted an agreement document with regard to the SEZ in Nandagudi.

“The document will be reviewed by a committee headed by the Chief Secretary and comprising secretaries to the Finance, Revenue, Urban Development, Industries and Law departments. The formal clearance for the 12,350-acre SEZ will be issued after the committee’s report,” Horatti said.

The SEZ has been in the news ever since it was proposed, with farmers up in arms against the land acquisition for the project.

Detailing the Cabinet decision on the Mangalore SEZ, Mr Horatti said the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited would acquire 270 acres of government land for the SEZ. MRPL will pay a compensation of Rs eight lakh per acre to the State in this connection. The SEZ is proposed to come up on an investment of around Rs 35,000 crore.

Official dismissed
The Cabinet decided to dismiss M G Shanthakumari, Deputy Controller, State Accounts Department from service on charges of misappropriation of State funds. Mr Horatti said the official had siphoned off around Rs 3.97 crore during her tenure as Chief Accounts Officer, Bangalore Rural ZP.

The government will recover the amount from the official’s pension and properties, the Minister said. S K Prasad, an Assistant Engineer with the Public Works Department and facing charges of corruption, will be reinstated into service, after an official inquiry returned inconclusive evidence on the charge, Horatti said.

CABINET NOD
The Minister, however, said the official would have to forego two salary increments.
* High-level committee to review the agreement document on Nandagudi SEZ
* MRPL to acquire 270 acres of government land for Mangalore SEZ
*Senior Accounts Department official dismissed for siphoning off funds