Karnataka Cabinet denounces Central govt for replacing MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G

Bengaluru, Jan 2 (PTI) The Karnataka cabinet has denounced the BJP-led government at the Centre for the passage of the VB-G RAM G Act that replaced the UPA-era rural employment law MGNREGA, with state minister H K Patil terming it a betrayal of the federal spirit.

The VB-G RAM G Bill was passed in Parliament during the recently concluded Winter Session amid vociferous protests by the opposition. The new act has a provision for 125 days of wage employment for rural workers.

Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said, "We discussed the MGNREGA scheme. The cabinet expressed shock and condemned the Central government's act of repealing the MGNREGA." "This act of the Centre is nothing but taking away the right to work, taking away the privilege of giving a hundred days of work. It propagates a centralised form of working." Briefing reporters about the cabinet decisions, he said, "It is unfortunate that the Central government is playing politics with this scheme, weakening the state government, and betraying the federal spirit." Patil said the cabinet also discussed the violence at Ballari. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has appropriately suspended the superintendent of police, he said.

Tension prevailed in parts of Ballari on Thursday night as supporters of Ballari City Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy and Gangavati BJP MLA G Janardhan Reddy clashed allegedly over a banner. One person was killed during the clash.

The Karnataka Cabinet has approved the Vishwaguru Basavanna Biodiversity Park, which is planned to be developed on 153 acres in Bengaluru North's Madappanahalli.

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said the cost for the project is expected to be Rs 250 crore, and the Cabinet has sanctioned Rs 50 crore in the first phase.

Plans are afoot to build a medicinal plantation, bird sanctuary, arboretum and interpretation centre, he said, adding that CSR funds from various companies will also be used for this project.

According to officials, this would be the third-largest park in the state capital. Lalbagh was built on an area of 240 acres in 1760, while Cubbon Park, spread over an area of 197 acres, was built in 1870.

The cabinet also gave its consent to issue guidelines under the Community and Corporate Social Responsibility Policy for the utilisation of CCSR funds in government schools, Patil said.

Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said the Cabinet has decided to develop a 1,000-bed super speciality hospital for all kinds of organ transplants and cancers at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore, in partnership with the Azim Premji Foundation.

"We have given a proposal to the Azim Premji Foundation, and they have accepted it. We are giving them 10 acres of land on a 99-year lease... the entire cost of Rs 1,000 crore will be borne by the foundation, which will also spend Rs 350 crore per year for hospital maintenance," he said.

"It will be a philanthropic hospital and will be established in five years. Free-of-cost transplant would be provided for 70 per cent of the beds. The remaining 30 per cent beds would be charged a minimum amount as in government hospitals," he added.

The cabinet also granted administrative approval for the revised estimated cost of the Bangalore Suburban Transport Project (BSTP) Corridors two and four at Rs 16,876 crore.

Also, approval was accorded to undertake works worth around Rs 36.90 crore to upgrade the structural design of six selected district education and training institutes in the state and convert them into District Education and Training Institutes for Excellence.

The districts selected for the purpose are Bidar, Ballari, Chitradurga, Mysuru, Shivamogga and Mandya.

The cabinet has also approved the Karnataka Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2025, pertaining to salaries and pensions of the Lokayukta. It also approved the Karnataka Jnana Bhandara Manuscripts and Digitisation Bill 2026. PTI KSU OZ NSD NSD