Page 17 - Karnataka Government

K'taka govt to agitate in Delhi against Centre, to protest at Jantar Mantar

Stepping up the attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre, the ruling Congress in Karnataka led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will stage a protest in New Delhi on Wednesday, alleging "injustice" to the State in tax devolution and grants-in-aid over the past few years. The protest by all Congress legislators and MPs from the state, including Ministers that comes ahead of the ensuing Lok Sabha polls will begin at 11 am tomorrow at Jantar Mantar in the national capital. The protesters would demand Centre set right the losses allegedly incurred by the Karnataka to the tune of Rs 1.87 lakh crore, during five years under the 15th finance commission. Incidentally, CPI (M) veteran and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, along with his Cabinet colleagues will stage a protest in the national capital against the Centre's alleged negligence towards the southern state. Elsewhere, in Kolkata TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will stage a protest on Friday agains

BJP workers bring cattle to Bengaluru protest, demand milk subsidies

Protestors alleged that the Congress government was withholding Rs 716 crore in dues and due to it the milk production in the state had come down

Cong govt's protest in Delhi against 'njustice', not BJP: CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the protest by the Congress government in New Delhi on February seven is against the 'injustice' by the Union government in tax devolution and grants-in-aid to the State, and not against BJP. Listing out "injustice" caused to the state, he urged the opposition BJP to join the agitation in the interest of the state, as the struggle was not against it. "On February 7, all the Ministers and all MLAs of both the Houses of the legislature, also MPs, are going to agitate against the Government of India for injustice caused to Karnataka state by the 15th Finance Commission and several other issues concerning the state including grants from the Centre," Siddaramaiah told a press conference here. He said the agitation would be held at Jantar Mantar in the national capital as he urged BJP MPs from the state to also participate in it. "The struggle is not between Congress and the BJP or against the BJP, it is against injustice caused to ...

Injustice to Karnataka in tax devolution, loss of over Rs 45,000 cr: CM

Alleging injustice to Karnataka by the Central government with reduction in tax devolution, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said this has resulted in a loss of over Rs 45,000 crore to the state in the last four years. He also claimed that the taxes paid by Kannadigas were not useful for the state's difficult times, and the money was going to northern states. "Karnataka has faced significant challenges with a reduced tax devolution share post the 15th Finance Commission, resulting in a loss of over Rs 45,000 crore in the last 4 years. This injustice cannot stand," Siddaramaiah said on Sunday. "We stand united in demanding fair treatment and justice for Kannadigas to secure our state's welfare," he said in a post on 'X' with the hashtag "#SouthTaxMovement". The chief minister's comments come ahead of as all Congress lawmakers (also MPs) from the state, including Siddaramaiah, will be staging a protest in New Delhi on February 7, against the 'injustice' to Karnataka by the Union governmen

Uber, Ola will have to fall in line as Karnataka govt fixes fare for taxis

City taxis and those operating through app-based aggregators like Uber and Ola will now have to follow the new fare structure announced by the Karnataka Transport Department. With this new order released by the department on Saturday, fares for app-based cab aggregators as well as city taxis would be uniform and the revised fares would be applicable across the state with immediate effect. Prior to this, the fares were different for the two categories of taxis. According to the new fare structure, cabs have been categorised into three classes based on the cost of the vehicle. For vehicles whose purchase cost is Rs 10 lakh or below, the minimum fare has been fixed at Rs 100 for up to four km with a charge of Rs 24 for every additional km. For those costing between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh, the minimum fare is Rs 115, and per km cost Rs 28. For those costing above 15 lakh, minimum fare is set at Rs 130 with Rs 32 charged for each additional kilometre. The order clearly states that no

K'taka govt announces digital detox initiative for responsible gaming

The Government of Karnataka, in collaboration with the All India Game Developers Forum (AIGDF) will launch a digital detox initiative, with special emphasis on gaming and social media

Strict legal action if manual scavenging is practised: Karnataka CM

The CM called upon the people to outrightly reject the opponents of the constitution

K'taka Guv sends ordinance on 60% use of Kannada in signboards back to govt

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has sent back an ordinance mandating 60 per cent use of Kannada in signboards of businesses and establishments, to the state government. This was revealed by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday. "We (the government) approved an ordinance on signboards. The Governor has sent it back saying it should be passed in the Assembly. He could have given his assent now. Giving protection and respect to Kannada is our government's commitment," Shivakumar said. The Karnataka Cabinet had on January 5, given its approval to an ordinance to amend the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act that mandates 60 per cent use of the state's language in signages. The government had decided to take the ordinance route in the wake of violent protests by pro-Kannada organisations targeting businesses and establishments in Bengaluru for not giving prominence to Kannada. As of now, the law requires the use of Kannada language in the upper-half portion

K'taka Cong chief denies reports of Sonia being offered RS seat from state

Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar on Tuesday dismissed as false and speculation some media reports which claimed that former party President Sonia Gandhi may be offered a Rajya Sabha seat from the State, and clarified that no such discussions have taken place. There have been reports in a section of media that Sonia Gandhi may not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, and she may be given a Rajya Sabha seat from Karnataka. "All such information is false, no such discussions have happened. You (media) are writing such speculations, no such discussions have happened," Shivakumar, also the Deputy Chief Minister, said in response to a question on such reports. Sonia Gandhi had won the1999 Lok Sabha elections from Ballari in Karnataka, defeating veteran BJP leader late Sushma Swaraj. Meanwhile, Shivakumar hit out at BJP and JD(S) for the row over removal of Hanuman flag flying from the 108-ft flagstaff at Keragodu village in Mandya district. Such things are being done to create

Will ensure that BJP wins more than 25 LS seats in K'taka: Ex-CM Shettar

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Saturday said the process to bring him back to the BJP had been on for the last five to six months, as he gave large credit to state president B Y Vijayendra and veteran leader B S Yediyurappa. He said one of the main reasons for his return to the BJP is to contribute towards making Narendra Modi prime minister once again, and that he will work towards ensuring that the party wins most of the seats in the state in the coming Lok Sabha polls. Shettar rejoined the BJP by quitting Congress in New Delhi on Thursday. He had joined the grand old party, ahead of assembly polls last year, after being denied a ticket by the BJP to contest the elections. "It is the wish of crores of Indians that Modi's leadership is needed for the country. The BJP is a cadre based party and when I was travelling across the state as a Congress leader, BJP workers used to ask me to return to the party; along with that there was also a call by several state ..

Former Karnataka CM Jagdish Shettar returns to BJP in a jolt for Congress

Former Karnataka chief minister Jagdish Shettar, who had quit the BJP to join the Congress ahead of the state assembly polls last year, rejoined his old party on Thursday. Shettar cited his long association with the BJP, and said many of his well-wishers wanted him to join back the party. The Lingayat leader joined the party in the presence of former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa, Union ministers Bhupender Yadav and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra and its media head Anil Baluni. Party sources said Shettar had met Home Minister Amit Shah and its national president J P Nadda as he was persuaded to rejoin the saffron organisation which he had quit in a huff after being denied a ticket to contest the assembly polls. He had then joined the Congress but lost the polls. The Congress has, however, made him a MLC, a position he has now quit to join the BJP. Shettar also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, saying India has been strength

Strengthen Congress to regain past glory in coastal districts: Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state PCC president D K Shivakumar has urged party workers in the coastal districts to strengthen the Congress to regain its past glory in the region. Addressing a workers' meeting at the district Congress committee office Wednesday evening, he said the state-level convention of the party will be held in Mangaluru next month to prepare ground for the coming Lok Sabha elections. AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and other national leaders are expected to attend the convention, to be jointly organised by the district units of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. He said the party should be activated at the booth-level by involving more youth and the people should be made aware of the benefits of the guarantees implemented by the Congress government in the state. Shivakumar said the party needs more activists at the booth-level than leaders. The differences in the party in Sullia block of DK district should be sorted out among leaders. He said the party wor

PM Modi failed to provide 20 mn jobs per year: K'taka CM Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to provide two crore jobs per year as promised by him

Karnataka govt to implement Old Pension Scheme for 13,000 employees

Under the old pension scheme, a government employee is entitled to a monthly pension after retirement

Karnataka signs MoUs worth Rs 23,000 cr at WEF meet: Minister Patil

Karnataka government has signed eight MoUs worth Rs 23,000 crore with global companies at the recently concluded World Economic Forum meet at Davos in Switzerland, Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil said on Wednesday. A Karnataka delegation, which he led, engaged in over 50 meetings with global industry leaders in Davos. "Karnataka successfully signed eight MoUs worth Rs 23,000 crore with global companies. Noteworthy agreements include Web Werks' Rs 20,000 crore investment for a hyper-scale data centre and Microsoft's commitment to digital skilling interventions," Patil told reporters here. The Minister said Hitachi signed an MoU to "stimulate" economic growth in Karnataka, particularly focusing on rural areas. The partnership with emphasis on developing sectors such as healthcare, education, and Panchayat E-Governance aims to create more opportunities and employment for the people of the state, Patil said. Further, MoUs have been signed by five companies across sector

India reports 355 new Covid-19 infections, active case tally now 2,331

India has registered a single-day rise of 355 new COVID-19 infections and the number of active cases of the disease in the country now stands at 2,331, the Union health ministry said on Friday. Two deaths -- one each from Karnataka and Kerala -- were reported in 24 hours, according to data updated by the ministry at 8 am. The number of daily cases of Covid had dropped to double-digits before December 5, but it began to increase after the emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, the highest single-day rise of 841 new cases was reported on December 31, 2023, which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. Of the total active cases, around 92 per cent of patients are recovering under home isolation. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in hospitalisation and mortality," the official source stated. India has witnessed thr

36 legislators, 39 Cong workers to be appointed to key positions in boards

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said 36 legislators and 39 Congress workers will be appointed to key positions in state-run boards and corporations. He said the list would be released "any moment". 36 legislators and 39 party workers have been accommodated in the appointments to boards and corporations. The party leaders and workers have brought the party to power in the state and they have been rewarded suitably, Shivakumar, who is also Karnataka Congress unit president, told reporters here. Meanwhile, he said a meeting of the party's Lok Sabha election committee would be held here on Friday. We will have the first round of meeting tomorrow. Jagadish Shettar and Laxman Savadi (who joined the Congress from the BJP before the Assembly elections in May last year) have also been invited to the meeting. District in-charge ministers have collected opinions from all the constituencies and it will be discussed in tomorrow's meeting, Shivakumar said. On some ...

HC notice to Centre, Karnataka govt on madrasa inside ASI protected mosque

The High Court of Karnataka has ordered issuance of notices to the state and central governments on a PIL petition alleging that a Madrasa was being illegally run in the premises of an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected mosque in Srirangapatna in Mandya district. A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit heard the petition by Abishek Gowda on Wednesday and issued notices to the respondents to file their objections and adjourned the hearing. The petitioner alleged that the Madrasa inside the Juma Masjid in Srirangapatna had damaged the original structure with the construction of structural alterations, demolition of compound, construction of toilets, destruction of ancient carvings besides cooking and consumption of food daily. "All the above acts are totally illegal and a violation of Section 7, Rule 7 & 8 of the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains Act and Rules," he claimed. The petitioner further submitted that .

Karnataka signs investment deals worth Rs 22,000 cr at Davos summit

Microsoft, Hitachi, Lulu Group among companies that commit projects in state

Davos 2024: Karnataka signs MoUs worth Rs 22,000 cr with 7 cos at WEF meet

The Karnataka government said on Wednesday it has signed MoUs with investment proposals to the tune of Rs 22,000 crore with seven companies at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. As part of the MoUs signed on Tuesday, Web Werks proposes to set up a Rs 20,000 crore data centre park in the State, while four other companies plan to invest a total of Rs 2,000 crore, according to a statement issued by the Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development M B Patil. A delegation from the state, headed by Patil, engaged in a series of deliberations with industry leaders during the WEF Meet 2024 in Switzerland, it said. The Lulu Group is set to venture into food processing in Vijayapura district, with plans to invest Rs 300 crore in a plant dedicated to exports, the statement said. Takeda Pharmaceuticals intends to establish a global innovation centre in Bengaluru and is actively scouting for suitable campus locations, it was stated.