BENGALURU: The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday withdrew cases against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Bengaluru rural Lok Sabha member D.K. Suresh filed at Ijanoor police station in Ramanagar district in 2022 on charge of holding a convention in violation of Covid-19 guidelines. The Cabinet has also decided to withdraw nine other related cases.
The Congress led by Siddaramaiah, then Leader of Opposition, D.K. Shivakumar, Kanakapura MLA and president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee and D.K. Suresh, Lok Sabha member among others took out a rally in Ramnagar town to reach Bengaluru city via Bidadi urging the then BJP state government for the implementation of Mekedatu project to supply water to Bengaluru city and other adjoining areas and cases under various sections of Indian Penal Code were filed at Ijanoor police station against the leaders for not maintaining social distance and other violations of guidelines which were in force during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Briefing media persons after the cabinet meeting, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil said gave approval for cost escalation for the construction of a super speciality hospital in Belagavi. Earlier, the cost for the construction was estimated to be Rs 140 and now the cost escalation is Rs 34 crore more.
The cabinet meeting also decided to switch from palm oil to sunflower to prepare nutritious food in anganwadi centres. Patil said there were complaints over the use of palm oil and palm oil was imported. By shifting to sunflower oil, it would help farmers of Karnataka who grow sunflower. Now, import of palm oil will come down. By shifting to sunflower oil, Patil, it would cost Rs 9.9 crore extra.
To keep track of buses in Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Patil said the Cabinet approved a Central Control Room for vehicle tracking and panic button system to gather information on real time tracking, delays in buses arrival, track travel time among others.
Patil said Coastal Development Authority has been renamed as Karavalli Pradesha Abhivruddhi Pradhikara and the districts of Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Chikkamagaluru have been brought under the Pradhikara.
