Giving a further push to the e-governance initiative, the State Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the ₹800-crore second phase of the Karnataka State Wide Area Network (KSWAN), which aims to establish an information highway connecting the State’s 10,000 offices.
Briefing presspersons on the decisions taken by the Cabinet, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra said Wipro Technologies has bagged the contract of ₹615 crore for implementing the project, while Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) got the contract for providing broadband width for ₹185 crore for five years.
The first phase of KSWAN was launched during the tenure of former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in 2009. The KSWAN will help enhance the efficiency of administration and delivery of services of various government departments.
It would provide a highly “reliable, robust and secure” communication corridor for the government at all levels — State, district and taluks — covering 10,000 offices, the Minister said.
Further, it will create a “plug and connect” environment for government offices, providing connectivity and bandwidth on demand, besides providing “data, voice and video services”.
More decisions
The Cabinet has decided to reappoint 38 anganwadi assistants and workers who had lost their jobs after they were elected to gram panchayats in various districts. As their term as GP members have come to an end, it was decided to give them back their jobs as helpers and assistants in anganwadi centres. A decision was taken to upgrade sports hostels as academies in Udupi, Kalaburagi, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Mysuru, and Ballari at an estimated cost of ₹15.16 crore. Administrative approval was given for establishing a City Armed Reserve battalion at Ullal village in Yeshwantpur hobli in Bengaluru North taluk on 21.34 acres. A sum of ₹200 crore, ₹50 crore and ₹25.60 crore was approved for drainage works in Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada, Periyapatna in Mysuru district and Hosadurga in Chitradurga district, respectively.
K. Lakshmana, Assistant Executive Engineer, Karanja project, Bidar, was dismissed from service after criminal charges were proved against him, he said.
Cabinet for June session
A session of the State legislature will be held in the first week of June for approval of the Goods and Service Tax laws passed by the Parliament. The session will also discuss various budget proposals and pass the State Budget for the year 2017-18. The last session had approved the vote on account presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah till June-end.
