Karnataka households and daily commuters are set to face higher costs after the state Cabinet gave in-principle approval to increase Nandini milk prices and move towards raising fares on Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and state road transport buses.
The Cabinet has agreed in principle to raise the retail price of different Nandini milk varieties by ₹8 per litre, based on their fat and solids-not-fat content, according to sources cited in the report. The Karnataka Milk Federation had proposed an increase of ₹8 to ₹10 per litre. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has been given the authority to take the final decision on the milk price increase.
The announcement comes while the model code of conduct for elections to four Karnataka Legislative Council constituencies is in force. The state government is expected to write to the Election Commission seeking permission to implement the price increase. Voting is scheduled for October 23 and counting for October 27. If approval is not granted during the model code period, the revised milk prices could be introduced in early November, according to the report.
The bus fare proposal is still moving through the approval process. The Cabinet has given the go-ahead for a proposed increase of about 10% to 13% in fares across BMTC and the various corporations under the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation system, sources said. The final decision is expected at the next Cabinet meeting.
The increase may not be uniform across all transport corporations. Officials indicated that fares could be revised according to stages, or travel distances, and that the increase for BMTC services could be higher than for other state transport corporations. The transport corporations had reportedly sought fare increases of 40% to 42% to address losses, but the Cabinet did not accept that level of increase.
For Bengaluru commuters, a BMTC fare revision would affect regular bus users across the city, including workers, students and other passengers who depend on public transport for daily travel. The exact revised fares, affected routes and implementation date have not yet been announced.
The Cabinet meeting also approved a ₹704-crore project to strengthen the digital infrastructure of Karnataka’s judicial system. The plan includes establishing a data centre and disaster recovery centre for the judiciary through the Karnataka State Data Centre, along with other digitisation and digital transformation works. The e-governance division of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms has been designated as the nodal department for implementation.
The state government also discussed the proposed elections to zilla panchayats and taluk panchayats. Rural Development Minister Eshwar Khandre said the elections could be held in the first week of January if the State Election Commission and Election Commission of India approve the ward-wise reservation list. A draft notification is expected after approval, with the final reservation notification planned for mid-December. Gram panchayat elections are intended to follow about 15 days after the zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat polls.
