Cabinet appoints retired IAS officer to head KPSC

The Cabinet on Thursday decided to appoint retired IAS officer Shadakshari Swamy, the brother of Mysuru Suttur Mutt seer Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamy, as interim chairperson of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC). The officer was appointed as one of the KPSC members in October 2017.

The Cabinet also authorised Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to finalise the dates for Governor Vajubhai R Vala to address the joint session of the legislature. “Many members of the Cabinet have asked for the joint session to be held this month itself,” Cooperation Minister Bandeppa Kashempur said, briefing reporters.

Other Cabinet decisions

 Approval to relax guidelines for transfer of teachers, including reducing from five years to three years the minimum period of service for a teacher in one block before seeking transfer.

 To grant 40 acres of gomala land in Shantigrama in Hassan for construction of a jail.

 Approval for Chikkamagaluru-Belur-Sakleshpur railway line at a cost of Rs 657.8 crore. Cost will be shared equally between State and Centre.

 Multi-village drinking water scheme for 23 villages in Vijayapura at a cost of Rs 73.62 crore.

 To recommend to the Centre to consider Betta Kurubas as equivalent to Kaadu Kurubas under the Scheduled Tribes list.

 Approval for increase in cost by Rs 7.66 crore for the first package of the Almatti reservoir rejuvenation.

 To grant 648.38 acres from the Kasavinamane village land bank in Chikkamagaluru to Kuvempu University instead of land in the Singanamane forest reserve in Shivamogga.

 To construct independent buildings for 60 Nadakacheris functioning in private buildings at a cost of Rs 10 crore.

 To supply medicine kits and pre-school kits to anganwadis at Rs 9.63 crore and
Rs 19.77 crore, respectively.

 Two sets of uniforms for schoolchildren (Class 1-10) for the 2019-20 academic year at a cost of Rs 77.64 crore.

 To consider promoting 1,000 gram panchayat secretaries and rural development assistants who have cleared Class 10 instead of PU as required.

 Krishna river lift irrigation project for Chikkodi at a cost of Rs 139.55 crore.

 To establish 500 farmer producer organisations (FPO) over the next five years.