From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Dec 6: All types of schools in Karnataka, including those following CBSE and ICSE syllabus, will be subject to the new comprehensive guidelines approved by the State Cabinet at its meeting presided over by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at its special meeting in Bengaluru on Saturday.

The guidelines, ''Child Protection Policy for Safe Schools in Karnataka,'' are aimed at ensuring the safety of students in all schools in the State, Law Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters after the Cabinet meetinhg.

All schools will be required to specially nominate a Child Protection Officer (CPO) from among the teaching or non-teaching staff along with the Principal to ensure the implementation of the guidelines.

A Child Protection Committee (CPC) consisting principal, senior teacher, one senior non-teaching staff, student representatives, parents and an external person from the local neighbourhood also needs to be constituted as per the policy.

School managements would he held responsible in case of lapses in the implementation of guidelines, the minister said.

If the guidelines fail in ensuring the safety of schoolchildren, Jayachandra said the Government would formulate a new law.

"Framing a new Law will be inevitable if guidelines fail in ensuring the safety of children," he said.

Levy of Toll on All State Highways Mooted

In another major decision, the State Cabinet approved the framing of rules for imposing toll rate for all State highways in the State.

All the roads would be developed on public-private-participation (PPP) model as it was difficult to develop roads on state finances, he said.

However, the Cabinet rejected the proposal of levying toll on Major district roads.

The Cabinet also decided to upgrade 70 km road from Yelahanka in the city and border of Andhra Pradesh at a cost of Rs 152 crore.

The Ramalingam Construction Company and KMC Construction Company would develop the road.

On the lines of consultative committees in the parliament, a decision was taken to form a consultative committee in the Law and Parliamentary Department to begin with. But the members would not be given DA/TA.