Karnataka Cabinet approves Rohith Vemula Bill, clears Rs 13,000 crore infra push

The Karnataka Cabinet has approved the Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Exclusion or Injustice) Bill, aimed at curbing caste-based discrimination in higher education. The legislation proposes compensation for affected students and penal provisions against offenders.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday approved the Karnataka Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Exclusion or Injustice) (Right to Education and Dignity) Bill, along with a series of major infrastructure and administrative decisions, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said.

The Bill, which had earlier been deferred, was cleared at the Cabinet meeting after considering inputs from various departments.

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The minister said the government would share further details of the legislation separately. “It was deferred, and now we have cleared it.”

The draft of the Rohith Vemula Bill, reportedly proposes compensation of up to Rs one lakh for students who face caste-based discrimination in higher education institutions, and a jail term of one year and a fine of Rs 10,000 for guilty.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in April last year urging the Karnataka government to enact “Rohith Vemula Act” to ensure that no one faces caste-based discrimination in the education system.

Rohith Vemula, a Dalit student, allegedly died by suicide due to caste-based discrimination in Hyderabad in 2016.

Apart from the legislation, the Cabinet approved a revised estimate of Rs 436.44 crore for construction of an elevated flyover at IOC Junction and an additional two-lane rail overbridge at Baiyappanahalli railway level crossing under EPC mode. “The total revised comprehensive estimate for this work is Rs 436.44 crore. Administrative approval has been accorded for this amount,” the minister said.

The Cabinet also cleared Rs 13,262 crore for 11 elevated corridor projects spanning approximately 75.6 km across five municipal corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority, to be implemented by Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited.

On road planning, the government decided to scrap the 2023 alignment of the Intermediate Ring Road and revert to the 2007 alignment with minor modifications.

Explaining the decision, Patil said, “The alignment prepared in 2023 for the Intermediate Ring Road has been cancelled and set aside. The 2007 alignment has been taken with minor modifications.”

The Cabinet further approved implementation of a biogas purification and compression system under the public-private partnership model, using sludge generated from five sewage treatment plants of the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

Administrative approval was granted for construction of a new central office building of the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation in Kalaburagi at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore. Ex-post facto approval was also given for the appointment of 16 Motor Vehicle Inspectors in line with a Supreme Court order.

The Cabinet approved revised penalties against certain officials of the Archaeological Conservation Department as per a High Court order, and granted property tax exemption for several key government properties, including Lok Bhavan, Kumarakrupa Guest House, Kanteerava Stadium, and Koramangala Stadium. The pending dues on these properties stood at around Rs 81 crore, the minister said.

Approval was also given to transfer the development of Karwar Airport to the Airports Authority of India under the Ports and Inland Water Transport Department.