Bengaluru: In what is being perceived as an intent of “minority appeasement” after the Davangere South fiasco, where the government decided to not give a ticket to a minority candidate for the by-election, the cabinet on Thursday approved a Rs 600-crore plan for the community colonies across the state.The grant for development of minority colonies has been approved for 2026-27 and 2027-28.Questioned about the scheme being sanctioned by the government as an appeasement gesture, law and parliamentary affairs minister H K Patil dismissed it as being political. “There is no political connotation. The minority welfare department had prepared the action plans for Rs 600 crore and the same was cleared by the cabinet. Nobody was waiting to use it as a political tool,” said Patil.Quizzed as to why it was approved for two financial years, Patil said some of the projects could overrun the time frame and the decision was taken to give an additional approval for one more year so that the projects are not left incomplete.140 acres for Applied Materials in Devanahalli: The govt approved a mega land deal for leading California-based semiconductor company Applied Materials at a cost of Rs 785 crore. The deal at the Bengaluru Signature Business Park in Devanahalli will see Applied Materials secure 140 acres for its project. Patil informed that the government has decided to approve the land deal on a lease-cum-sale deed. “The land will be provided to the company at Rs 1,288 per square feet in the park,” he said. Applied Materials corporation will be setting up an R&D ecosystem.Govt to tweak internal reservation notification: The state govt decided to withdraw the April 27 order on internal reservation as it was interfering with the examinations which were already conducted and posts called for. During a discussion on the internal reservation roster points, it was identified that the merit list for as many as 1,600 posts called for by the KEA and another 1,400 posts called for by KPSC was completed.“The April 27 notification had also encompassed these posts and hence it had to be withdrawn. A fresh notification will be issued by the government which will include consultation with the social welfare department for all other posts where the merit lists have not been announced,” said one cabinet minister.Other decisions*Govt approves high speed rail corridors for Bengaluru-Hyderabad and Bengaluru-Chennai* For central govt urban challenge fund, cabinet approves to committees for technical and steering of projects* Viable gap funding of Rs 28 crore approved for Star Air to run flights between Bengaluru-Bidar and Bengaluru-Kalaburagi
