Imposition of toll on State highways put off

The State Cabinet on Saturday deferred a decision on imposing toll on 1,191 km of State highways.

According to sources, a section of ministers felt no hasty decision should be taken on the matter and a comprehensive policy needs to be evolved. At its previous meetings, the Cabinet cleared amendments to the Karnataka State Highways Act, 1964, providing the State government with the necessary sanction to collect toll.  

At Saturday’s Cabinet meeting it was decided that two or three ministers informally discuss the pros and cons besides the modalities of imposing toll on State highways. The Cabinet is also said to have given its nod for the  Karnataka Police Bill - 2012 that incorporates some key Supreme Court directives on police reforms. 

The provisions of the bill include providing statutory status for Police Accountability Authority at the State and district levels to inquire into complaints against police personnel. It also provides for a fixed two-year term for DG&IGP, but subject to the normal date of superannuation. The Cabinet also decided to extend the programme of providing free bicycles to Class VIII government and aided school students to academic year 2011-12. The Cabinet referred a proposal to increase the present ceiling on non-agricultural income of Rs two lakh per annum to Rs six lakh per annum for purchase of agricultural land to a sub-committee.

Private universities

Official sources said the Cabinet gave its nod for the M S Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences Bill that seeks to provide statutory status for a private university proposed by M S Ramaiah Education Trust.

The university proposes to offer courses in technical education, medical education, management, natural sciences and life sciences. 

The Cabinet also approved a proposal by Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) to set up a private university in Bangalore. The university proposes to offer courses in computing science and engineering, bio-sciences, information technology, among others.