Karnataka to implement cultural policy to check moral policing

Policy provides for measures to curb tendency of banning books

The state Cabinet on Monday gave its approval for implementation of a ‘cultural policy’ in the state which among others restricts ‘moral policing’ and advocates setting up of three academies and a tribal university.

The approval of the policy comes at a time when the state government has been portraying itself as a staunch advocate of the Kannada cause. Recently, the state government extended support to the demand for rendering official status to the state flag and removal of Hindi words from Namma Metro signage.

The policy has been in the cold storage for some time. A six-member committee headed by writer Baragur Ramachandrappa had submitted its recommendations for the cultural policy three years ago.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Law and Parliamentray Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said a one-time grant of Rs 20 crore had been approved to implement the recommendations of the committee. The annual expenditure will be Rs 36.68 crore, he said.

Besides steps to curb moral policing, the policy provides for setting up of art galleries in each district, measures to curb the tendency of banning books for trivial reasons, paying honorarium to help artistes in distress and inclusion of Tulu in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.

The committee had also asked the government not to ban a literary work unilaterally and suggested the formation of search committees to select chairpersons to various academies and authorities.

Irrigation projects cleared
The Cabinet, in one shot, cleared irrigation projects worth over Rs 1,800 crore. In all, seven projects including approval for preparing a Detailed Project Report for work on extension, renovation and modernisation of the Malaprabha main canal and distributaries at a cost of Rs 1,120 crore, were cleared.

Other major projects include approval for filling of the Chulkinala reservoir and 15 tanks in Basavakalyan taluk of Bidar district by lifting water from the Kongali barrage built across the Manjra river near Jamakhandi village in Basavakalyan at a cost of Rs 188 crore. Approval was granted for filling the Malvi reservoir in Hagaribommanahalli taluk of Ballari district by lifting water from the Tungabhadra river at an estimated cost of Rs 144.9 crore.