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Indian Express
24-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Karnataka Cabinet okays fire cess on new multi-storey buildings
The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday approved the Karnataka Fire (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which permits the state to levy a fire cess of 1 per cent on newly constructed multi-storey buildings. Law Minister H K Patil announced that Section 15 of the Karnataka Fire Force Act, 1964, will be amended to include this cess, which would apply to commercial complexes, hospitals, educational institutions, industrial units, and residential apartments. Patil explained that the cess will be calculated at 1 per cent of the property tax amount and collected to strengthen fire safety infrastructure and preparedness in urban areas. 'All institutions and structures to which the Fire Act is applicable will now be liable to pay this cess,' he said. He clarified that the cess would be mandatory for all qualifying properties, and the responsibility for payment lies with the builders or property owners. The Cabinet has also decided to introduce a resolution to convert the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Ordinance, 2025, into a Bill in the upcoming Assembly session. The ordinance, originally promulgated on May 30, aims to ensure social security and welfare measures for gig economy workers. The state estimates that approximately 2.3 lakh full-time and part-time delivery workers are currently active across various platforms in Karnataka. The state will soon set up a Payment and Welfare Fee Verification System (PWFVS) to digitally track every transaction and welfare fee deduction made towards gig workers' social security. Under the proposed rules, aggregators must calculate and remit a welfare fee ranging from 1 per cent to 5 per cent of each payout made to a gig worker. These contributions are to be deposited into a government-managed welfare fund every quarter through RBI-approved payment modes. The Karnataka State Cabinet has also sanctioned the establishment of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Space Technology in Bengaluru, allocating a budget of Rs 10 crore over five years. The CoE will be set up as a Section 8 company under the Companies Act, 2013. The Satellite Communication Industry Association (SIA-India) will serve as the implementing partner and has been granted an exemption under Section 4(g) of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act, 1999, Patil said. The decision addresses the critical shortage of testing facilities, as Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and other government centers are currently operating at full capacity, prioritising their missions. With the startup sector producing around 30 testable prototypes monthly and facing a significant demand for testing infrastructure, the CoE aims to bridge the gap and support innovation in the space technology ecosystem. The Cabinet has also granted administrative approval for establishing a peripheral cancer treatment unit under the Kidwai Memorial Institute at Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital in Raichur. The estimated cost of the initiative is Rs 50 crore, which includes Rs 20 crore for civil works and Rs 30 crore for equipment. It will be funded by the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board. Additionally, the government has approved the establishment of Indira Gandhi Children's Health Institute in Bengaluru, which will feature a 450-bed hospital. The project is estimated to cost Rs 62 crore for medical equipment, furniture, and other requirements.
New Indian Express
28-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Karnataka issues ordinance to protect gig workers, mandates welfare fee from platforms
BENGALURU: The State Government on Tuesday promulgated an ordinance to protect the rights of platform-based gig workers. The Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Ordinance, 2025, approved by the Governor and published in the Karnataka Gazette Extraordinary on Tuesday aims to create a welfare fund for gig workers and places obligations on aggregator or platform in relation to social security, occupational health, and safety. A welfare board headed by the labour minister will be established and gig workers and aggregators or platforms in Karnataka will be registered. The ordinance proposes a 'platform-based gig workers welfare fee' from aggregators. The fee will be between 1 to 5% of the payout to the gig worker in each transaction, as may be notified by the State Government within six months of the ordinance coming into force. 'The State Government shall specify through a notification different percentage on the payout, with or without a cap on the gig worker welfare fee on each transaction, for different categories of aggregator or platform,' the ordinance read. The aggregator or platform shall deposit the welfare fee levied under this ordinance, at the end of each quarter. It proposes a Payment and Welfare Fee Verification System (PWFVS). All payments made to workers generated on the platform shall be mapped onto PWFVS administered by the State Government and monitored by the Board.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Karnataka promulgates Ordinance for providing security to platform-based gig workers
The State government has promulgated the Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Ordinance, 2025, which aims to create a welfare fund for platform-based gig workers and place obligations on aggregators. The government has taken the Ordinance route to implement the welfare provisions. The Cabinet cleared the Bill in April, 2025, but it took the Ordinance route since the State legislature is not on. The Ordinance would be replaced by a Bill during the monsoon session of the legislature. It emphasises the rights of gig workers, proposes a welfare fee of 1% to 5% of the payout to the worker during each transaction. All such fees received would go to the welfare fund for the workers. Board to be established The State government would establish the Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers Welfare Board to exercise the powers to notify general or sector specific social security and other benefits that to be implemented by the board within the time frame specified by the State government. The headquarters of the board shall be at Bengaluru. It aimed to protect the rights of platform-based gig workers, to place obligations on aggregators or platforms in relation to social security, occupational health and safety, transparency in automated monitoring and decision-making systems. The Ordinance envisages to provide dispute resolution mechanisms and to establish a welfare board and create a welfare fund for platform-based gig workers, to register platform-based gig workers and aggregator or platform in the State. A gig workers' welfare board will be established to ensure registration of workers by the platforms, welfare fee collection and implementation of social security schemes. Aggregators have been mandated to furnish their database of all gig workers to the board within 45 days from the commencement of the Act. The Bill also seeks to introduce a Payment and Welfare Fee Verification System in a bid to introduce transparency to the collection of welfare fee. Every payment made to the workers and the welfare fee deducted by the aggregators shall be sent to the system. Medical course It also promulgated the Karnataka Compulsory Service by Candidates completed Medical Courses (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, to provide candidates a conditional no-objection certificate to pursue higher studies like super-specialty or fellowship in universities established by law upon submitting an affidavit or undertaking stating their commitment to fulfil the obligation of one-year compulsory service post-completion of the higher studies. If candidates fail, then they are liable for penalty and such other consequences specified in the affidavit or undertaking. Counselling The government also promulgated the Karnataka State Civil Service (Regulation of Transfer of Medical Officers and Other Staff) (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, for bringing transparency in transfers through counselling and filling crucial posts on priority.
