Four new markets to come up to decongest Bengaluru

Taking the first step in the government’s plan to set up new markets in four corners of Bengaluru, the Cabinet on Thursday granted administrative approval of Rs 100 crore for the construction of a vegetable market at Singena Agrahara in Gulimangala village.

Briefing reporters, Law Minister J C Madhuswamy said that of the Rs 100 crore allocated for the market, Rs 48 crore was for land acquisition and Rs 52 crore for the construction of the market. When completed, it will help decongest Kalasipalya located in the center of the city.

The market will come up in an area of 42.31 acres, attached to the fruit market located at Gulimangala. “The government had a plan to set up markets in four corners of the city. Three more markets will come up,” he said, suggesting that the new one will be quite far for farmers who bring their produce to the city. The other markets are likely to come up near Magadi and Kolar roads.

In other decisions, the Cabinet decided to declare Gudekote Sloth Bear Sanctuary, Sharavathi Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary and Kappatagudda as eco-sensitive zones (ESZ).

In case the state government did not declare it as ESZ, the Centre will notify an area with 10-km radius around each of these sanctuaries as buffer zones. If the state government notifies, the buffer zones of these ESZs will be restricted to a radius of one kilometre.

The Cabinet also decided to extend the Raitha Vidya Nidhi scholarship scheme to cover children of landless agricultural labourers.

The KPSC Act will be amended, the Cabinet decided, to select group-D candidates without interviews.

Jal Jeevan Mission projects worth Rs 1,892 crore were cleared. Of this, Rs 1,600 crore was for a multi-village drinking water project in three taluks of Udupi district.

The Rs 2,638 crore Horthi-Siddeshwara lift irrigation scheme, which aims to irrigate 28,000 hectares in Indi and Vijayapura taluks of Vijayapura district was also approved by the Cabinet. The project will come up in three phases.

The establishment of seven new universities in as many districts was cleared in the Cabinet.