Bengaluru: Just 48 hours after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented a populist budget, the state cabinet on Friday decided to impose toll on 15 state-funded highway stretches comprising 1530 kms.

Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, a senior minister on the condition of anonymity said, "We had to clear this proposal as it has become a norm of sorts to levy tolls on good roads. Cost recovery too has become an integral part of any project. We have not yet clearly decided how much toll should be levied on these stretches. But, the cabinet has cleared this proposal."

According to a source the state government had notified and published the Karnataka Road User Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules in the gazette in 2015 itself, as part of this notification the toll is not only being imposed on state highways developed under the public-private partnership (PPP) model but also on state-funded highways.

The cabinet also decided to file a review petition shortly before the Apex court on the issue of providing reservation in promotion for state government employees. The cabinet has simultaneously directed the Backward Classes Commission to prepare a detailed quantifiable report to prove that the SC/STs need reservation in promotions too and the department of personal and administrative reforms (DPAR) was asked to prepare the seniority list based on the Supreme Court's order in mind. The Supreme Court, in its February 9 order, had ruled that the state was not bound to make reservation in matters of promotion and if it did wish to do so, it had to show quantifiable data.

The cabinet decided to waive Rs 33.41 crore worth loans obtained by weavers across the state to construct their work sheds.

Tenders soon for Ejipura-Sony World corridor
The state cabinet gave its nod for calling tenders to start work on the elevated corridor project connecting Ejipura main road-100 feet road Koramangala-Sony World Junction and Kendriya Sadan in Koramangala at an estimated cost of Rs 203 crore. Speaking to reporters, a minister observed that this project was cleared almost three years ago but it had hit a rough patch due to inconsistency in Union government policies. "This was the project which was cleared under JNNURM scheme in 2014-15 itself, then the scheme was shelved and again, it figured under Nagarothana scheme, and again hit a road block. Finally it has been cleared and the tender process will begin soon," the minister explained.