From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Aug 12: In a move aimed at tackling the non-availability of sufficient eligible candidates in the recruitment of government primary and secondary school teachers, the State Cabinet has relaxed the age limit for all categories of candidates by two years.
Briefing media persons after the State Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday, August 12, the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy explained that the decision to relax the age limit was taken as the State Government was not able to recruit teachers owing to COVID-19 and lockdowns. Many of the eligible candidates had crossed the age limit for recruitment and could not be selected.
The age limit has been relaxed for candidates who have qualified in B Ed and the Teachers' Eligibility Test (TET). However, the minister said the age of the candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and Physically Challenged should not exceed 47 years.
In the case of categories of 2A, 2B, 3A, and 3B, the age of candidates should not exceed 45 years, while it is 42 years for candidates belonging to general category, the minister said.
The Department of School Education and Literacy will fill about 15,000 vacancies in the State.
The age limit was relaxed by amending the Karnataka Education Department's Service Rules, 2022, Madhuswamy said.
The State Government had not recruited teachers during the pandemic and this has created apprehensions among many candidates that their age would be crossed the prescribed limit and they would not become eligible for the teachers' posts.
To remove these apprehensions, and make candidates eligible for jobs, the government relaxed the age limit for two years, the minister said.
The State Cabinet also approved release of Rs 199.40 crore for KSRTC for the purchase of 650 buses for the Kalyana Karnataka region. It also approved Rs 336 crore for purchase of 840 (BA 6 variety) buses for BMTC.
The Cabinet ratified a report of K Bhaktavatsala former judge of High Court of Karnataka that recommended reservation of 33% of total seats, in favour of Other Backward Classes (including minorities) in ULB elections.
However, it suggested that the aggregate of reservation of seats in favour of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCs should not exceed 50% of total seats.
The same report was submitted to the Supreme Court which would hear the matter soon, the minister said.
Water Policy
With agriculture accounted for about 84% of water consumption and estimated water demand is set to reach 1859 tmcft by 2025, the State Cabinet also approved the Karnataka Water Policy 2022 for effective management of water resources.
The policy said "water management is not a techno-managerial process" and it has multiple uses and multiple stakeholders. The State adopted a water policy in 2002 and but due to changed scenario of water availability and water demand, it is felt that the state needed to have a new water policy.
The new water policy would shift the focus from increasing the water supply infrastructure to managing water within the available water budget.
The policy was revised to address the new challenges and make it more comprehensively integrated water resources management oriented to address the growing inter-sectoral demands of water and to ensure water, food and economic security of the State.
The policy envisaged the constitution of the inter-departmental state water resources authority under the chairmanship of the minister for water resources and to form a high-level water policy review ad monitoring committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary.
The policy said flood risks are to be controlled by real time monitoring and forecasting technologies with provision of flood cushion during heavy rainfall and with effective communication between dam and managers and flood plain administration.
The water management assumed significance as 61% of the State is drought-prone area. Of the total water usage approximately 26% is from groundwater.