BENGALURU: The state government on Thursday decided to scrap four of five waste-to-energy plants in Bengaluru for missing the deadlines and failing to start their projects in the City.
According to ministers present at the meeting, the government decided to retain the fifth company on the premise that there was a delay in providing land for the project to start.
“The four companies were a non-starter for the last seven to eight years. They continued to impress that the plants would start soon but never did. As a result, the cabinet decided to scrap the four projects in the City,” said a Bengaluru minister.
However, it is said in the fifth case energy minister K J George suggested that the government failed to provide land parcels for the project to take off but never did. As a result, the government decided to give the company an extension to start its project.
Meanwhile, the cabinet also decided to write to the center for reducing the distance of eco-sensitive zones around tiger reserves and national parks.
“The government has decided to write to the center for reducing the buffer zone from 10 kilometers to 1 kilometer. This has been a longstanding demand across a lot of our districts which have grown around the reserves,” said another minister.
Sources suggest that discussions were also held within the cabinet over the “possibility” of the state purchasing land which is inside the forest area to increase green cover and also save the government hassles of having to regularise these lands which have been under farming use for generations.
“The discussion was held to buy these lands, if the farmers were willing, to expand our green cover,” said the minister, adding that an initial estimate suggested that there were three lakh acres of such land.
Centres of excellence to start in B’luru for life sciences and wireless tech
The state cabinet on Thursday decided to give the nod for starting two centres of excellence in Bengaluru for innovation and incubation of startups in life sciences and health sector and also in wireless technology.
The hub and spoke models in life sciences and health sector will be set up at a cost of Rs 50 crore, while the one for wireless technology will be launched in association with the Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc) at a cost of Rs 25 crore in the City.
“Our intent is to ensure that these centres of excellence will be headed by industry experts and help in innovation and research,” said one minister, adding they will be launched in existing government infrastructure before considering adding fresh space.
A Village named graveyard gets a new name
For decades a village in Aland taluk in Kalaburagi district by name Kunisanghavi had been facing societal ridicule for it meant as a “graveyard” village in the local dialect. However, from Thursday, the village will be free of this ridicule as the cabinet cleared its name to be changed in the revenue records as Basavanasangolgi village.
Other decisions:
77 convicts to be released prematurely on good behavior
Jails to get mobile jammers at a cost of Rs 44 crore across 6 central jails
Rs 1,000 crore sanctioned for rural water supply under Jal Jeevan Mission
According to ministers present at the meeting, the government decided to retain the fifth company on the premise that there was a delay in providing land for the project to start.
“The four companies were a non-starter for the last seven to eight years. They continued to impress that the plants would start soon but never did. As a result, the cabinet decided to scrap the four projects in the City,” said a Bengaluru minister.
However, it is said in the fifth case energy minister K J George suggested that the government failed to provide land parcels for the project to take off but never did. As a result, the government decided to give the company an extension to start its project.
Meanwhile, the cabinet also decided to write to the center for reducing the distance of eco-sensitive zones around tiger reserves and national parks.
“The government has decided to write to the center for reducing the buffer zone from 10 kilometers to 1 kilometer. This has been a longstanding demand across a lot of our districts which have grown around the reserves,” said another minister.
Sources suggest that discussions were also held within the cabinet over the “possibility” of the state purchasing land which is inside the forest area to increase green cover and also save the government hassles of having to regularise these lands which have been under farming use for generations.
“The discussion was held to buy these lands, if the farmers were willing, to expand our green cover,” said the minister, adding that an initial estimate suggested that there were three lakh acres of such land.
Centres of excellence to start in B’luru for life sciences and wireless tech
The state cabinet on Thursday decided to give the nod for starting two centres of excellence in Bengaluru for innovation and incubation of startups in life sciences and health sector and also in wireless technology.
The hub and spoke models in life sciences and health sector will be set up at a cost of Rs 50 crore, while the one for wireless technology will be launched in association with the Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc) at a cost of Rs 25 crore in the City.
“Our intent is to ensure that these centres of excellence will be headed by industry experts and help in innovation and research,” said one minister, adding they will be launched in existing government infrastructure before considering adding fresh space.
A Village named graveyard gets a new name
For decades a village in Aland taluk in Kalaburagi district by name Kunisanghavi had been facing societal ridicule for it meant as a “graveyard” village in the local dialect. However, from Thursday, the village will be free of this ridicule as the cabinet cleared its name to be changed in the revenue records as Basavanasangolgi village.
Other decisions:
77 convicts to be released prematurely on good behavior
Jails to get mobile jammers at a cost of Rs 44 crore across 6 central jails
Rs 1,000 crore sanctioned for rural water supply under Jal Jeevan Mission