Criminal Cases Against Bajarang Dal to be Dropped : Shobha Karandlaje

The Hindu / Daijiworld Media Network

BANGALORE, Jan 3: The State Government on Friday decided to withdraw criminal cases filed against the activists of Bajrang Dal and other Hindutva organisations for their alleged involvement in the Dattapeetha/Bababudangiri issue in Chickmaglur district.

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Briefing reporters about the decisions taken by the state Cabinet, Rural Development and Panchayatraj Minister Shobha Karandlaje said that 11 cases filed against them would be withdrawn.

She said that the Accountant-General, who had conducted an enquiry into the irregularities in the cooperative loan/interest waiver case involving Rs. 3,400 crore had reported that Rs. 1.59 crore had been embezzled.

The Cabinet approved a request by the Karnataka State Marketing Federation to borrow Rs. 150 crore from the State Bank of Mysore to procure fertilizers.

Newly-elected MLAs sworn in

Rights panel pay

It approved a proposal to increase the pay and allowances of the Chairman and members of the Karnataka Human Rights Commission to the level of the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court. An additional Rs. 34 crore had been granted for the third stage drinking water project for Bailahongal town in Belgaum district.

Bicycles

The Cabinet approved four companies to supply bicycles to 6.70 lakh students at Rs. 2,397 each, lowest in the country, within the next two months. Ms. Karandlaje said the companies had quoted around Rs.2,800. Hero Cycles, Atlas, Avon and TI Cycles have agreed to reduce it.

Village officers

The Cabinet decided to appoint 5,628 village development officers, of the rank of deputy tahsildars and 2,500 village accountants, through direct recruitment. Roster system would be followed in the recruitment. The bigger villages would get two village accountants.

While those with engineering qualification would be considered for the post of development officers, those with Master in Social Work degree would be preferred for the village accountant posts. However, she said the candidate should be a graduate.

Recruitment age

The recruitment age limit for the posts in the State civil services would be increased from 33 to 35 years for general category, 36 to 38 for backward classes and 38 to 40 for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Seat subsidy

The Cabinet also agreed to release Rs. 22 crore towards free seat subsidy to the engineering, medical and dental colleges for 2007-08 and 2008-09.

It decided to approve a proposal to include people of the Panchamashali sub sect among the Veerashaivas in the 3B category of the backward classes. Many denominations of Veerashaivas already enjoy the benefit.