Madikeri: With the monsoon season approaching, the Kodagu district administration in Karnataka has taken significant steps to mitigate potential damage, anticipating that around 10,922 people may be affected by the above average rainfall.

90 relief centres have been set up across the district to provide shelter and aid, as reported by Deccan Herald on Friday.

The district administration has identified 102 areas at high risk of landslides and floods. To ensure the safety of residents, temporary shelter has been arranged for 2,953 families living in these vulnerable zones.

Notably, 44 residential areas in Madikeri city, 30 in Kushalnagar, 18 in Virajpet, and 10 in Somwarpet have been flagged as particularly susceptible to natural disasters, added report.

Rescue teams conducted a mock drill at the Harangi reservoir on Thursday to prepare for any emergency situations.

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New Delhi (PTI): A Bill which seeks to set up a single regulator for institutions of higher education is required to facilitate universities and other higher educational institutes become independent and self-governing, officials said.

The Bill is likely to be introduced in Parliament next week after it got the Union Cabinet's nod on Friday.

The proposed legislation, which was earlier christened the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill, has now been named Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshan Bill.

A single higher education regulator, which was proposed in the new National Education Policy (NEP), looks to replace the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

"The Bill proposes to set up a Higher Education Commission of India to facilitate universities and other higher educational institutes become independent and self-governing institutions and to promote excellence through a robust and transparent system of accreditation and autonomy. It is likely to be introduced (in Parliament) in the coming week," an official said.

While the UGC presently oversees non-technical higher education in the country, the AICTE oversees technical education, while the NCTE is the regulatory body for teachers' education.

The Commission is proposed to be set up as a single higher education regulator, but medical and law colleges will not be brought under its ambit.

It is proposed to have three major roles -- regulation, accreditation and setting professional standards, officials said.

Funding, which is seen as the fourth vertical, is not proposed to be under the regulator so far. The autonomy for funding is proposed to be with the administrative ministry, they said.