Bengaluru, 18 Jan 

State Cabinet led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made a major change in Gruha Jyothi scheme, which provides free electricity for up to 200 units per month. 

The decision entails the provision of 10 additional units instead of 10% of the average utilisation by LT2 consumers who use less than 48 units monthly. Till now, the government calculated the free usage under the scheme after considering the average use of the consumer for the past 12 months and an additional 10 per cent was added to it as a bonus. Now, the Cabinet has made away with the 10 per cent additional units and instead will give 10 additional units for free up to a maximum usage of 200 units per month, said Energy Minister KJ George.  

For example, if a consumer is using 48 units of electricity per month, they would get an additional 4.8 units (10%) of electricity for free as per the present scheme. As per the new rules, a consumer using 48 units per month would get 10 units extra; so in total 58 units will be given for free.  

The minister said they ushered in the change because many people were not getting zero bills and also to include more consumers under the scheme. The change will be a burden of Rs 500-600 crore annually to the exchequer.

Gruha Jyothi is one of the five guarantee schemes announced by the Congress government in the run-up to the State Assembly elections in May 2023. 

The Cabinet also gave its approval to offer a guarantee to the Karnataka Electricity Corporation Limited to take on loans of Rs 4,430 crore from banks and financial institutions.

Sub-committee formed to fight Baba Buddangiri case 

A Cabinet sub-committee consisting of five ministers has been constituted to file an objection in Supreme Court regarding the Sri Syed Mohiuddin Shakadri case. The dispute is over the worshipping rights between Hindus and Muslims at Sri Guru Dattatreya Bababudan Swami Peetha/Dargah, a cave-shrine atop Bababudangiri in Chikkamagaluru district.

Basavanna named cultural leader 

Heeding the requests of the Lingayat community, the government has announced 12th-century social reformer Basavanna as the cultural leader of Karnataka. “The government will provide incentives to complete the construction of Anubhava Mantapa (established by Basavanna) in Bidar district in 2025,” said Forest and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre.  

Shivamogga’s Freedom Park to be named after Allama Prabhu

The Freedom Park in Shivamogga City is to be named after the famous poet Vachanakara Allama Prabhu. He was one of the prominent figures during the revolutionary Vachana movement in Karnataka. 

The Cabinet also gave its nod to increase Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation’s (KMDC) share capital from Rs 600 crore to Rs 1,200 crore. -Salar News

Siddaramaiah to table his 15th budget on 16 Feb 

The Cabinet decided to hold the Assembly session from 12 to 23 February and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who holds the finance portfolio, will present the budget on 16 February.

Siddaramaiah will be tabling his 15th budget on 16 February, in a record of sorts. Siddaramaiah was the finance minister from 1994 to 1999, and has also presented budgets as Chief Minister who was in charge of the Finance Ministry from 2013 to 18.

Last year, he presented his 14th budget, soon after the Congress won the May Assembly elections and he became Chief Minister, taking over the finance portfolio as before.