Karnataka Cabinet Approves Statewide Rollout of ‘Akka Pade’ Scheme to Protect Women and Minor Girls

The Karnataka Cabinet has approved the statewide rollout of the ‘Akka Pade’ scheme across all districts and police commissionerates to prevent atrocities against women and minor girls, including child marriages, following its successful pilot phase.

The Karnataka Cabinet has approved the statewide implementation of the ‘Akka Pade’ scheme across all 31 districts and five police commissionerates, in collaboration with the Home Department. The decision is aimed at strengthening efforts to prevent atrocities against minor girls and women, including child marriages, by extending the initiative beyond its pilot phase.

‘Akka Pade’ Scheme to Be Implemented Across Karnataka

Speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil said the ‘Akka Pade’ scheme was initially launched on a trial basis in select districts to curb child marriages and protect minor girls and women from abuse and exploitation. Owing to its success in achieving these objectives, the government has now decided to roll out the scheme across the state, he said.

Cabinet Clears 27 Development Projects

The Cabinet approved 27 development projects, including the construction of a silk market in Mysuru at a cost of ₹20 crore with loan assistance from NABARD, the establishment of a mega dairy in Kalaburagi at an estimated cost of ₹50 crore, and a multi-village drinking water supply scheme worth ₹66 crore.

The drinking water project will cater to 291 villages in Gundlupete taluk of Chamarajanagar district and 95 residential areas in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district.

Infrastructure and Industrial Approvals

The Cabinet also granted administrative approval for the purchase of a soap-making machine for Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) in Bengaluru at an estimated cost of ₹17.70 crore.

However, the proposal to establish a 50 TPD Bio-CNG plant under the PPP model at the Kolar Agricultural Produce Market Committee, at a cost of ₹24.96 crore, was dropped. Instead, green waste generated at the market will be supplied to the 150 TPD Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) plant being set up by GAIL in Kolar.

Health, Education and Administrative Projects Approved

Post-facto approval was accorded to a government order issued last December for the construction of rural health and wellness centres across the state under the PM-ABHIM scheme for the period 2024–2026, at an estimated cost of ₹127.40 crore.

The Cabinet also approved:

• Purchase of machinery and furniture for the new hospital and district hospital of Nandi Medical College and Research Institute, Chikkaballapur, at a cost of ₹40 crore
• Construction of a taluk panchayat office building in Holenarasipur town at a cost of ₹12 crore
• Sanction of 7.5 guntas of land in Kallu Kote village, Sira taluk, Tumakuru district, and 10 guntas of land in Sirwar, Raichur district, to the Congress Bhavan Trust, Bengaluru, for the construction of Congress Bhavans

Other Matters Approved by the Cabinet

The Cabinet also cleared the following proposals:

• Establishment of a GTTC multi-skill development centre at Gulbarga University at a cost of ₹66.75 crore by KKRDB
• ₹10.60 crore for providing an underground drainage system in Haliyal town
• Construction of an administrative building at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Mandya
• Allotment of land for KSRTC in Balepuni village, Dakshina Kannada district, for operating electric buses
• Allotment of land in Mada village, Sampaje hobli, for establishing a cultural and sports centre for the Arebhashe Gowda community