SC quota, transport union demands on Karnataka cabinet menu

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Cabinet, scheduled to meet on Thursday, is set to deliberate on several high-priority issues, with the recently submitted Justice HN Nagamohan Das Committee report on SC internal reservation expected to take centre stage. Apart from this, the long-pending demands of transport unions are also likely to dominate the agenda, particularly in light of recent developments in the Karnataka High Court and the Congress governments pre-poll promises. Government sources indicate that preparations are underway to address both issues comprehensively. The Justice Nagamohan Das report has drawn significant political attention and may trigger key policy decisions. Simultaneously, transport union demands-linked to employment rights, safety, and financial support-are expected to be revisited as part of the governments manifesto commitments. The Cabinet is also likely to approve several developmental and welfare initiatives across agriculture, irrigation, education, health, and rural infrastructure sectors. Among the key proposals up for approval are cold storage boost where they will establish 13 cold storage units in the state at a cost of Rs 172 crore to help farmers store crops during market slumps. The move follows recent incidents such as the mango price crash, where rates fell to Rs 2 per kg. The other is irrigation works, where projects worth over Rs 440 crore are to be discussed, including Rs 220 crore for filling 111 dry tanks in drought-hit Haveri, Rs 17 crore for lift irrigation in Bagalkot, Rs 50 crore to modernise Kattemalwadi irrigation project, Rs 90 crore for the Harangi right bank canal, and Rs 65 crore for the Hemavati left bank canal. Administrative approval is expected for Rs 40 crore to upgrade Backward Classes hostels with new cots and mattresses. Also, a proposal to provide 11,000 electric mobile food kiosks to unemployed youth from backward classes at a cost of Rs 33 crore is expected to get cabinet nod. The cabinet may approve new hospitals in Kittur (Belagavi) and Molkalmuru (Chitradurga) at a combined cost of Rs 120 crore, and a 100-bed cancer hospital in Bidar at Rs 36 crore. Proposals for education and minority welfare include starting 15 girls hostels for minority students (Rs 87 crore) and revising rules to support minority-run technical education programmes. Several large gram panchayats are also likely to be upgraded to town municipal councils.