Page 60 - Karnataka

Deve Gowda sacks K'taka unit Prez Ibrahim, appoints Kumaraswamy in place

Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) patriarch H D Deve Gowda on Thursday removed the party's Karnataka unit president C M Ibrahim, who had raised a banner of revolt against forming an alliance with the BJP, by dissolving the state working committee. Gowda also appointed his son and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy as the ad-hoc president of the party's state unit. Kumaraswamy, a two-time Karnataka chief minister, is also the party's legislative unit president. Gowda's order came after Ibrahim revolted against the party's decision to align with the BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. In this regard, Ibrahim had held a meeting with 'like-minded' people in JD(S) on October 16 and announced that the party led by him was the original one. He also announced formation of a core committee that would submit a memorandum to the party supremo that the JD(S) should not go with the BJP.

A tale of three economic models: Congress bets on tried and tested schemes

The party's Madhya Pradesh manifesto combines schemes tested in Karnataka, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh

It is necessary to create Kannada speaking environment in Karnataka: CM

The CM further said that we should love other languages and religions but we should not forget our own language and held Negligence responsible for non-implementation of Kannada in administration

Reeling under drought, Karnataka asks govt to release pending MGNREGA wages

The Karnataka government has requested the Centre to release pending Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme wage component at the earliest, for its effective implementation, in the wake of a drought in a majority of taluks across the state. Karnataka Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma has written to Shailesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India in this regard. Sharma noted that wage release to Karnataka is due from MoRD since August 29, 2023, which amounts to Rs 478.46 crore and said the last wage grant released to the State government is on September 24 for Rs 1.55 crore for August and September. Karnataka's Rural Development Commissionerate has already submitted Utilisation Certificates and Annual Audited accounts to the Ministry of Rural Development for the current and previous year, the Chief Secretary said in her letter. According to her, 195 of the total 236 taluks in the state have been declared as drought-hit, and out of

Karnataka raids: Rs 94 cr cash seized after I-T searches govt contractors

The Income Tax department has seized Rs 94 crore in cash as well as gold and diamond jewellery worth Rs 8 crore and 30 luxury watches following raids on government contractors and real estate developers in Karnataka and some other states, the CBDT said on Monday. The searches were launched on October 12 and 55 premises were covered by the department in Bengaluru and some cities in neighbouring Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as well as in Delhi. "The search has resulted in seizure of unaccounted cash of approximately Rs 94 crore and gold and diamond jewellery of over Rs 8 crore, aggregating to more than Rs 102 crore," the Central Board of Direct Taxes said in a statement. "Further, a cache of about 30 luxury wristwatches of foreign make were unearthed from the premises of a private salaried employee, not engaged in the business of wristwatches," it said without identifying the accused entities. A war of words on the matter has broken out between Karnataka's ruling Congress and the ..

Congress high-command has not asked us for even five paise: Karnataka CM

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday dismissed as "politically motivated and baseless" the opposition BJP's allegation that the cash seized by the Income Tax Department in recent Income Tax raids here belonged to the Congress party. "It's a political statement and baseless allegation. Are there Congress contractors and BJP contractors? I call them BJP contractors. Where is the evidence?" Siddaramaiah told reporters. BJP on Sunday alleged that the cash including Rs 42 crore seized from a contractor and his son was linked to the Congress and that the Siddaramaiah government was using the State as an "ATM". To a query on BJP's allegation that the seized cash was meant to be pumped into the coming elections in five States, Siddaramaiah said, "We have no connection with it (money). Those states which are going to polls should fight on their own. When we fought the elections, did we go to other states asking for money? It is the people who bless. Our state has no connection wit

Congress can only give guarantee of loot: Nadda ahead of state polls

BJP president J P Nadda on Monday claimed the Congress can only give a "guarantee of loot" as he accused the party of turning Karnataka into an ATM for collecting money through corruption to fund its poll campaign. Nadda cited the reported recovery of over Rs 100 crore from some contractors in raids by probe agencies in Karnataka, saying it is shameful and an abhorrent joke with voters. It is merely a sample of the Congress' corrupt DNA, he said on X. The same "Congress-supported" contractor dished out lies against the BJP during the recent Karnataka polls, he said, a reference to the charge against then BJP government that contractors were forced to pay hefty commissions under its rule. "The Congress and corruption are two sides of the same coin. Congress governments have made Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan ATMs of corruption. It wants to make Telangana and Madhya Pradesh similar ATMs to loot people's money," he said. Nadda further alleged that the Congress is dreaming of power in Ma

Over Rs 50 cr cash recovered in I-T raids on contractor in K'taka: Official

Income Tax sleuths have recovered more than Rs 50 crore cash during raids on several people including a contractor, his son, a gymnasium instructor and an architect in Karnataka, a highly-placed department official said on Sunday. The raids that started from Thursday at 25 places belonging to two major infrastructure companies expanded to 45 by Saturday evening, the official told PTI, requesting anonymity. Charging them with tax evasion, the I-T Department officials raided their offices at various places including Sahakarnagar and Sanjaynagar. Several documents were confiscated. Followed by the lead obtained from these two firms, I-T officials searched the houses and other places of contractors and various other people. "A total of 45 locations were searched till Friday while ten more places were raided and searched on Saturday. "On Saturday, the third day of the operation, an architect and a gymnasium owner's house was raided from where Rs eight crore in cash was seized. With thi

Money seized during I-T raids in Karnataka was to be used in polls: BJP

Madhya Pradesh BJP chief V D Sharma on Saturday claimed that the Rs 42 crore recovered by the I-T department during raids on contractors in Karnataka on Friday was meant for next month's polls in five states as he sought to link the seizure with the Congress. Assembly elections will be held in MP, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Mizoram between November 7 and 30, and the counting of votes will be on December 3. This money was found on the premises of contractor Ambikapathy, who on behalf of the Congress, had falsely charged the then BJP government in Karnataka as a 40 per cent commission government, Sharma said while addressing a press conference here. Despite being voted to power in the southern state, Sharma alleged, the Congress could not prove the allegation of 40 per cent commission government. The Income Tax (I-T) Department recovered more than Rs 42 crore in cash, stashed in a residential premise in Bengaluru, on Friday as part of its tax evasion searches against som

TN to strongly fight for release of 14,000 cusecs of Cauvery water

The Tamil Nadu government will strongly fight for the release of 14,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water by Karnataka to the state, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan said on Friday amidst the travails of farmers in the delta districts in saving standing paddy crops. Farmers dependent only on the water from the Mettur dam have taken up Kuruvai crop (short-term) cultivation in the delta districts and in certain pockets in Thanjavur district, anticipating steady discharge of Cauvery water from neighbouring Karnataka have taken up the Samba (long-duration) paddy crop. However, their hopes of realising a good yield appears bleak owing to the water level in the Mettur reservoir nearing dead storage. Besides agriculture, water from the dam caters to the drinking water requirement in the districts. Tamil Nadu will present its case at Friday's meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and strongly contend for the release of 14,000 cusecs of water to save the standing crops

Low electricity generation, higher demand led to power shortage: K'taka CM

Karnataka is facing a shortage of power as electricity generation has come down due to drought, while the demand has shot up, and the government is trying to address the situation by purchasing power from both inside and outside the state, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Friday. He said that an order has been issued asking those generating power in the state to supply it to the government. "Electricity generation has reduced, while the demand has increased. It is because of deficit rainfall and due increase in demand like it happens during summer. The consumption demand now is 15,000-16,000 MW, compared to 9,000 to 10,000 MW during the corresponding period last year, so this has led to some issue," Siddaramaiah said. Speaking to reporters here, he said he has called a meeting with energy department officials to discuss purchasing power from outside. "We have also issued an order recently that those generating power in the state should supply it to the government. We will purcha

Karnataka govt, AstraZeneca to deploy AI-based lung cancer screening

The Karnataka government on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd., to deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) based lung cancer screening technology that will screen a patient for 29 lung diseases in one chest X-ray. This AI-powered chest X-ray system developed by healthtech startup 'Qure.ai' will help the government detect lung nodules, often precursors to lung cancer, in 19 district hospitals in Karnataka, overcoming a major early detection challenge, officials said. The MoU was inked by National Health Mission, Health & Family Welfare Services, on behalf of the government, in the presence of Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. Cancer can be treated with curative intent if detected early. We are bringing this technology in all our district hospitals across Karnataka, and we strongly believe that this will emerge as the most beneficial way of detecting lung cancer early and bringing down the financial and emotional burden of healthcare ..

US companies express interest to invest around Rs 25,000 cr in Karnataka

The Karnataka government on Thursday said several American companies have evinced interest to invest around Rs 25,000 crore in the state. Jointly addressing a press conference regarding the outcome of the visit by a business promotion delegation headed by them to the US, by Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil and Electronics & IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge said some of the companies are already in the process of investing around USD one billion in the state. During the visit that spanned from the east coast to the west coast of the US, a total of 36 interactive meetings were held. "While some companies have planned to commence their operations here some others have proposed to expand their already existing operations. Our discussions primarily focussed on semiconductors, aerospace and defence, electric vehicles, space, and precision manufacturing," Patil said. Discussions were held with leading companies like Applied Materials, AMD, Juniper, Global Foundries, LAM ...

Karnataka govt's US visit garners $3 bn worth of investment interest

The delegation held meetings with global companies like Applied Materials, AMD, Juniper, Global Foundries, Lam Research, Boeing, Krypton and Dell

K'taka to appeal against order to release 3,000 cusecs of water to TN

Earlier on Wednesday, Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has decided that Karnataka has to ensure the release of 3000 cusecs of water starting October 16 till October 31

Govt pushing poor to send children to private schools: Karnataka HC

The High Court of Karnataka has observed that the government's failure to provide basic infrastructure in schools is pushing people who cannot even afford three meals a day to send their children to private schools. "Is education reserved for the privileged," the HC bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit questioned while hearing a public interest litigation initiated by the court in 2013 based on media reports about children who were left out of the schooling system. The court said that the deficiencies in government schools regarding the lack of restrooms and drinking water facilities were brought to its notice in 2013 but action has been lacking. Till date, 464 government schools lack restrooms and 32 do not have drinking water facilities, the court pointed out. Expressing its displeasure at the government's inaction, the court directed that an affidavit on providing basic facilities in all schools should be filed within eight weeks. "Is it for us

Cauvery row: Pro-Kannada organisation to block highway in B'luru on Oct 10

The govts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been locked in a protracted tussle over the sharing of Cauvery waters. The river is seen as a major source of sustenance for the people in the two states

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Cracker shop owner detained in Karnataka after fire at godown killed 14

The DGP also informed that the blaze had quickly engulfed the premises, resulting in a challenging rescue operation by the fire department and emergency services

Fire breaks out at mega dairy unit in Karnataka's Mandya, no casualties

The fire is suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit, according to sources