Bengaluru: In a crucial step to curb child marriage, the Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday approved the Karnataka Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill-2025, to criminalise the engagement of a child or minor (betrothal), which was not punishable earlier.

Addressing presspersons after the State Cabinet meeting here yesterday, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil said that the Bill envisages action against those involved in a child’s betrothal and marriage. Pointing out that the Bill would be introduced in the upcoming Monsoon session of the State Legislature starting on Aug.11, he said that under the Law, all Legislators, leaders, elders and others involved in a child’s engagement and marriage would be punished.

Patil further said that among other decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting included, bringing in Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Bill-2025, to regulate private Ambulance service providers. The Bill also envisages registration of mobile Health Clinics run by private medical units, he added.

“The Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill-2025, will also be tabled during the session. It would replace an ordinance promulgated to create a welfare fund for platform-based gig workers and place obligations on aggregators. It is estimated that there are 2.3 lakh Gig workers in Karnataka.The Cabinet approved Rs. 880.68 crore for the purchase of medicines and other medical requirements of public health Hospitals /Utilities in Karnataka.

A total of 46 prisoners serving life sentence would be prematurely released from prisons in the State. The life convicts would be released on humanitarian grounds based on goodwill conduct”, Patil pointed out.

Patil further said that the CM would be replaced by the Revenue Minister as Chairperson of 7 Revenue Department Authorities viz., Kudalasangama, Kaginele, Basava Kalyana, Banavasi, Sarvajna, Kittur Development Authorities and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Heritage Area Development Authority. Also, the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority  Act, 2014 will  be amended to allow flexible buffer zones and basic amenities, he noted.

The Cabinet on Thursday also approved a Rs. 1,000 crore Local Economy Accelerator Programme (LEAP), aimed at creating 5 lakh jobs by promoting innovation and entrepreneurship outside Bengaluru, Minister Patil said.

“CM Siddaramaiah had announced LEAP as a 5-year scheme in this year’s State budget. As a first step, Rs. 200 crore will be earmarked for LEAP in the current fiscal. Under LEAP, the Government will develop a startup ecosystem in Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad and Kalaburagi. Incubators, Accelerators, Centres of Excellence and Global Technology centres will be established. Also, a Rs. 300 crore Fund-of-funds and a corpus fund of Rs.100 crore for deep tech development will be provided,” he said.