Bangalore: The State Cabinet, which met here on Wednesday night, has approved the formation of a Greater Bangalore civic authority on the lines of the metropolitan authorities in some major cities of the country.

Minister for Primary and Secondary Education and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Basavaraj Horatti told The Hindu that the Cabinet approved the formation of a Greater Bangalore metropolitan authority to hasten the pace of infrastructure development for a city, which has been bursting at the seams.

Shamim Banu, Principal Secretary to Government, Department of Urban Development, has been directed to look into the proposal and suggest steps to constitute the authority, which will take care of the interests of Bangalore.

The matter will again come before the Cabinet before receiving a final approval. It was mentioned that, if need be, there can be two municipal corporations for Bangalore — one with headquarters in the north of Bangalore and another in the south of the city.

All the six city municipal councils and the lone town municipal council of Kengeri would be merged with Bangalore Mahanagara Palike prior to the formation of the Greater Bangalore authority.

It would look at whether the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Bangalore Electricity Supply Company and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) should come under the control of Greater Bangalore authority.

Mr. Horatti said the Cabinet approved the acquisition of 2,000 acres of land in Bangalore for the metro rail project. The land acquired will be handed over to metro rail authorities without any deviations. People in certain areas have protested against the land acquisition. This did not figure in the Cabinet discussions.

The Cabinet decided to pay Rs. 200 ex gratia for all high school teachers of government high schools. A similar payment was announced for primary and secondary school teachers recently.

He said the Cabinet fixed May 15 as the deadline for the transfer of government employees. The transfers will be effected between April 10 and May 15.

It was decided to dissolve all the Cabinet sub-committees and reconstitute them afresh. Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has been authorised to reconstitute the Cabinet sub-committees in consultation with Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.

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