Bengaluru, July 2 (NationPress) The Karnataka government, led by the Congress party, has officially decided to rename the Bangalore City University in honor of the late former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. This revelation was made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during a press conference following a special Cabinet meeting held at Nandi Hills.

The proposal to change the name to Dr. Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University has received formal approval, as announced by CM Siddaramaiah.

Additionally, the Bengaluru Rural district will be rebranded as Bengaluru North District, and the town of Bagepalli will now be known as Bhagyanagara, he stated.

A Cabinet sub-committee, led by Minister for Law H.K. Patil, will be established to assess the situation regarding illegal mining, with a report expected within a month, according to CM Siddaramaiah.

The Chief Minister also shared that a significant financial package of Rs 3,400 crore has been approved, with Rs 2,050 crore earmarked specifically for the rural and urban districts of Bengaluru.

Concerning the Yettinahole Drinking Water Project, the updated estimate has reached Rs 23,251 crore, of which Rs 17,147 crore has already been utilized, he informed.

"This initiative is primarily focused on supplying drinking water, while the replenishment of lakes is a secondary concern," the CM noted.

Out of the total 24.1 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water projected, 14 TMC is designated for drinking purposes alone. Therefore, the Cabinet has resolved to prioritize the completion of the drinking water component first.

"Within the next two years, we intend to ensure drinking water access to all the targeted districts and taluks," CM Siddaramaiah stated.

"The project aims to deliver drinking water to 75 lakh individuals across nine districts. This matter will be revisited in the next Cabinet meeting," he added.

Furthermore, it was resolved to establish residential schools for the children of registered construction workers in each district, with a total funding of Rs 1,125.25 crore.

Two residential training centers will also be constructed in Bengaluru at a cost of Rs 10 crore to prepare candidates from marginalized communities for competitive examinations like IAS, IPS, and IRS, the Chief Minister noted.

This special Cabinet session at Nandi Hills resulted in significant decisions and project approvals aimed at enhancing development in the area, with an emphasis on improving access to drinking water, education, irrigation, and healthcare infrastructure.