Nod for purchase of 987 buses under JnNURM

The State Cabinet on Monday is learnt to have given its nod for purchase of 987 buses for two state-run transport corporations at a cost of Rs 429 crore under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM). 

According to official sources, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will purchase 487 buses at a cost of Rs 184.12 crore from Tata Motors, while Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will procure 500 buses at a cost of Rs 245 crore from Ashok Leyland.

There was no official briefing after the Cabinet meeting, which went late into the night, as the State legislature is in session. According to official sources, in another decision, the Cabinet decided to keep the Karnataka Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Determination of Fee) Act, 2006, in abeyance for the academic year 2014-15, since the government and private managements have decided to continue with last year’s fee structure and seat sharing ratio for admission to professional colleges. 

The State government had earlier decided to invoke the provisions of the legislation but, backtracked following apprehensions that it may trigger a massive hike in fees for professional educational courses. 

The Cabinet is understood to have given administrative approval for the Nandavadi Lift Irrigation project to be taken up at a cost of Rs 1,530 crore. The project will irrigate 3,661 hectares in three taluks - Lingasugur and Manvi taluks in Raichur and Hungund taluk in Bagalkot district.