Sexual harassment: Cabinet nod for amendment of rules

The State Cabinet on Thursday gave its nod to amend the Karnataka Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) rules, 1957, curbing sexual harassment of women employees in State government offices.

Announcing this to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said the amendment prohibits both direct and indirect way of sexual harassment of women employees by their colleagues. It applies not only to government employees, but also those working in its various boards, corporations and aided institutions of the government, he said.

The amendment will enable the government to conduct a probe against the person facing complaint of sexual harassment and take appropriate disciplinary action. The draft rules will be published shortly and objections from the public will be called. The rules will be finalised after looking into the objections, if any, the minister said.

The Cabinet decided to amend the rules following the Supreme Court direction in the aftermath of the sensational rape case in New Delhi a few months ago.

It also decided to include 110 additional services of various government departments under Sakaala, the Right to Services Act, which aims to provide services to people within a stipulated time. Currently, 265 services of 11 different departments are under Sakaala, the minister said. Directions have been issued to include 100 more services as soon as possible under Sakaala. Altogether, the government has identified 1,800 services to bring under the Act.

“Sakaala is being implemented effectively. Our government wants to include more services under it,” he said.

Flood of milk

The Minister said milk production had touched 54 lakh litres per day in the last few days, following the government's decision to increase incentives to dairy farmers from Rs two to Rs four per litre recently. The total consumption is 43 lakh litres per day. Excess production is about 20 lakh litres. The Karnataka Milk Federation has the capacity to convert 10 lakh litre of milk into milk powder per day. The government is planning to supply the additional milk to children in anganwadi centres.

Journo case withdrawn

The Cabinet decided to withdraw criminal cases against Naveen Soorinje, the journalist of a private regional television channel, in connection with an attack on young revellers by right-wing activists at a homestay in Mangalore.

Members of Hindu Jagarana Vedike had raided a homestay in Mangalore and attacked boys and girls. The journalist had covered the incident. But he was later booked on the same charges as the rest of the accused in the homestay attack.