Bengaluru: The state cabinet on Tuesday approved a Rs 704-crore project to accelerate digitisation of Karnataka’s judicial system, including a dedicated data centre and disaster recovery facilities.The project will establish facilities for the judiciary through Karnataka State Data Centre and include other digital transformation initiatives. The e-governance division of the department of personnel and administrative reforms has been designated as the nodal agency.The cabinet also approved procurement of emergency responder kits for 10,350 volunteers being trained under Centre-sponsored Yuva Aapda Mitra scheme in 11 districts.Volunteers from Bagalkot, Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Bengaluru Urban, Kalaburagi, Kodagu, Raichur, Shivamogga, Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Yadgir will be trained through Scouts, NSS and Mera Yuva Bharat.Each volunteer will receive a Rs 10,000 kit, taking the total cost to Rs 10.3 crore. Fire and emergency services department will procure the kits through tender and distribute them to the respective district disaster management authorities.The cabinet also approved a scheme to provide a 25% subsidy to 9,600 rural women in Belagavi and Kalaburagi divisions to purchase crossbred cows or improved buffaloes.The Rs 18 crore scheme, announced in the 2026-27 budget, will provide Rs 18,750 to each beneficiary, with Rs 9 crore earmarked for each division. Priority will be given to Devadasis, widows, transgender persons, women in distress without a livelihood, deserted women, agricultural labourers and destitute women.Meanwhile, rural development and panchayat raj minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday said elections to zilla (ZPs) and taluk panchayats (TPs) are likely in the first week of Jan 2027, followed by gram panchayat (GP) polls in the last week. The govt has prepared the reservation list for SC, ST, OBC, general and women categories and finalised the draft notification. However, publication requires ECI approval as the model code of conduct for legislative council elections is in force. “Proposals were sent to ECI on Saturday and will be published within an hour of clearance,” Khandre said. SEC is likely to announce the calendar by mid-Dec.
