Ordinance to 'rescue' two varsities

Governor had returned Bills on role of govt in appointment of VCs

The decision to pass the ordinance was taken at the State Cabinet meeting on Sunday.

The Karnataka Horticultural Universities Bill, 2009 and the University of Horticultural Sciences Bill 2009, were passed during the legislative session in July to establish the universities in Raichur and Bagalkot. However, the Governor H R Bhardwaj returned both the Bills with suggestions that the governments should not allow State intervention in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Home Minister V S Acharya said the decision to promulgate the ordinance was taken to avoid inconvenience to students who have already enrolled into courses at the universities.

Acharya also announced a series of other decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting. He said that Rs 11.2 crore has been sanctioned for a new building for the Police Training School in Dharwad and a further Rs six crore for phase 3 of the construction of district court in Mangalore. Acharya also said the government had sanctioned Rs 6.63 crore for the completion and widening of the state highway from Udupi to Manipal. The Home Minister revealed that the State government had recommended to the Centre that the Halakki Vokkaliga people of Karnataka be given ST status. The community is presently classified under Category I of the Other Backward Classes.