The decks have been cleared for establishing eight new universities in Karnataka with the State Cabinet on Thursday approving a proposal to amend the Karnataka Universites Act, 2000, according to Higher Education Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan.
The Minister told reporters that the decision would pave the way for establishing new universities in Chamarajanagar, Haveri, Hassan, Kodagu, Koppal, Bagalkot, Bidar, and Mandya. These places already have post-graduation centres which would be developed into universities.
Among these proposed universities Chamarajanagar university would comprise 18 colleges, Hassan would have 36, Haveri 40, Bidar 140, Kodagu 24, Koppal 40, and Bagalkot would have 71 colleges. The Unitary University in Mandya would comprise all the first-grade colleges of the district, Dr. Narayan said.
A total of ₹14 crore had been earmarked for the purpose, the Minister said. These universities would function with a new concept in lesser space with limited human resource and reduced expenses, Dr. Narayan said.
Water supply
Meanwhile, Law Minister J.C. Madhuswamy told reporters that the Cabinet had also given approval for taking up works related to the tap-water supply under Jal Jivan Mission with a total cost of over ₹1,500 crore in several villages spreading across the districts of Belagavi, Shivamogga, and Udupi.
The Cabinet also gave approval for taking up a three-phase scheme to irrigate 28,000 hectares of land in Indi and Vijayapura taluks by utilising 3.24 tmcft of water from Almatti backwaters at a cost of ₹2,638 crore.
It also cleared a proposal for filling 27 tanks and 17 ponds in Hassan district by lifting water from Honnavar tank of Hassan.
