Page 73 - Karnataka

Special court dismisses compliant against Sidda over Lingayat CM comment

A private defamation complaint against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on his comment about a Lingayat chief minister during the recent Assembly election has been dismissed by an Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court. The Special Court exclusively to deal with criminal cases related to elected former and sitting MPs/MLAs on Tuesday dismissed the complaint filed for the alleged offences under Sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code. The private complaint lodged by Shankar Shet and Mallaiah Hiremath alleged that Siddaramaiah had defamed the Lingayat community with his answer to a question by a journalist during the Assembly election. The Congress leader was asked if his party would make a Lingayat the Chief Minister if it came to power. Siddaramaiah allegedly replied that then incumbent CM Basavaraj Bommai was a Lingayat who had indulged in corruption and spoilt the state.

Women turn out in big numbers as free bus travel scheme started in K'taka

After launch of the 'Shakthi scheme' for free travel by women by the Congress government in Karnataka, state-owned buses are seeing women passengers turning out in great numbers, said official

Shakti scheme offering free buses ride for women costs Rs 8.84 cr per day

The free ride in non-luxury state-run buses for women across Karnataka under the 'Shakti' scheme on Monday cost the state exchequer Rs 8.84 crore, according to the transport department. On day one of the launch of the scheme on Sunday, the department incurred an expenditure of Rs 1.40 crore. In just two days, the total expenditure under the scheme -- a key pre-election promise of the Congress -- was Rs 10.24 crore. According to data shared by the department, on Monday Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation incurred an expenditure of Rs 3.58 crore, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, which operates city buses, Rs 1.75 crore, the North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation Rs 2.11 crore and the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation Rs 1.40 crore. If one were to take into consideration the Monday figure, the annual expenditure on this scheme may touch between Rs 3,200 crore to Rs 3,400 crore, a transport officer told PTI.

Karnataka CM orders inquiry into deaths due to drinking contaminated water

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday ordered an inquiry into deaths allegedly due to drinking contaminated water recently in Koppal and Raichur district, and warned that the Chief Executive Officers of the Zilla Panchayat will be directly held responsible and suspended if such incidents happen again. The Chief Minister held a video conference with the district administration officials in the background of the drinking water problem in parts of the state. "I have asked for an inquiry to be conducted. Two people had died in Koppal and one had died in Raichur because of drinking contaminated water. I have asked for an inquiry and to find out those responsible for it," Siddaramaiah told reporters after the meeting. Questioning officials regarding the incident during the meeting, the Chief Minister, according to his office, asked them: "what are you doing? Do not work sitting in the office. Visit the place and conduct a comprehensive study so that the disaster of polluted wate

250 Indira Canteens to come up in Bengaluru city, says Karnataka CM

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday instructed officials to start at least 250 Indira Canteens, which provide subsidised food, with one outlet for each ward of Bengaluru. The Congress in its manifesto had promised to rejuvenate the existing canteens and extend them throughout the state. Indira Canteens, started as a pet project of Siddaramaiah, were first introduced during his earlier term as Chief Minister between 2013-18. The Chief Minister today held a meeting with top officials regarding provision of Indira Canteen service and its management. "We have held discussions to restart the Indira Canteens. One Indira Canteen has to be opened in every ward (of Bengaluru). I have instructed to take measures to start a minimum 250 Indira Canteens in Bengaluru city," Siddaramaiah told reporters after the meeting. He said until now the city corporation used to bear 70 per cent of the cost and government took up the remaining 30 per cent, but from now on both entities will bear

K'taka minister warns officials against delay in execution of govt schemes

Karnataka Women and Child Development Minister and Udupi district-in-charge Laxmi Hebbalkar on Monday said strict action will be taken against those who cause delay in implementation of government schemes. Addressing a district-level meeting of officials in Udupi, she also cautioned them against indiscipline at work. With a new government in office, it is the responsibility of officials to ensure that pro-people programmes of the government reached the people without delay, she said. The minister instructed the officials to prepare the details of beneficiaries to facilitate the smooth implementation of key government schemes -- Anna Bhagya, Gruha Lakshmi, Gruha Jyoti, Yuva Nidhi and Shakti. Hebbalkar also said steps will be taken to relocate anganwadi centres currently operating in rented buildings to new premises. Earlier in the day, BJP leader and Shivamogga MP B Y Raghavendra met the minister and held discussions on the damage caused by sea erosion in Byndoor taluk in his ...

Revised Karnataka power tariff from June bills; forced hikes: Bescom MD

The revision was supposed to be implemented in March/April, but due to the code of conduct announced for the elections on March 29, the issuance of the tariff order was put on hold by the KERC

Women participation in public sector down from 30% to 24%: Karnataka CM

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a veiled attack on the BJP said that after 2013-14 the participation of women in the public sector has come down from 30 per cent to 24 per cent

Karnataka govt to start free bus ride for women in state from June 11

Women in Karnataka can travel for free on government-run buses in the state from Sunday, with the administration rolling out the first of the five poll guarantees of the ruling Congress -- "Shakti" scheme. This free travel service will benefit more than 41.8 lakh women passengers every day and would cost the state exchequer an estimated Rs 4,051.56 crore annually, officials said. The scheme is available for women, who are domiciled in Karnataka, for the journey within the State limits after 1 pm today. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched the scheme, which will provide free rides for women and girl students of the state in government buses, from the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha, the seat of Karnataka legislature and secretariat here. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy were among others present at the event, where logo of the Shakti scheme was unveiled and Shakti smart cards were symbolically issued to five women. Women can apply for the Shakt

Poll guarantees in K'taka can be Cong template in other states: Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar says the Congress' poll promise of five guarantees was a "very tough call" and feels it can be a template for the party in other states depending upon their respective financial strength. "Governments help big businesses by waiving off loans of crores of rupees, but how to help the common man? So we decided on guarantees," Shivakumar told PTI in an interview here over the weekend. He further said economic issues, unemployment and poverty are the core matters, not the ideological ones, as "they don't fill the stomach." Shivakumar, 61, also claimed that the BJP and the JD(S) are joining hands in Karnataka for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, even as he expressed confidence about the Congress getting good numbers after its stunning performance in the recently concluded Assembly elections, ousting the saffron party from its lone southern citadel. On the poll guarantees, he said the respective state units of the party will have to take the call.

Not appreciated: Ashwath Narayan on removing RSS founder from Class 10 book

"We should not ignore and disrespect such a towering personality. We should have the courtesy to respect him," he added

K'taka: Textbook revision row escalates as Cong calls RSS founder 'coward'

Senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad claimed that Hedgewar admitted to writing 6 mercy petitions to the British. "We don't want to teach our children chapters on cowards"

Deputy CM Shivakumar gets relief from HC in Covid-19 rules violation case

The High Court of Karnataka on Friday quashed a case registered against Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar during the Mekedatu padayatra for violating COVID-19 guidelines last year. Complaints were lodged against Shivakumar for flouting the COVID-19 norms during the Congress' 'Mekedatu Padayatre' in January 2022. Justice M Nagaprasanna also stayed two related cases filed in Kanakapura town police station against Shivakumar. Shivakumar has filed several petitions seeking to quash and stay the cases registered against him during the padayatre.

Undecided about contesting LS polls, aim to serve people: MP D K Suresh

The lone Congress Lok Sabha member from Karnataka D K Suresh on Thursday expressed doubts about him contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and said he is still undecided about it, and is feeling enough about politics. Suresh, MP from the Bangalore South segment, is the brother of state Congress President and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. "Taluk and Zilla Panchayat elections are coming in six months, there is not much time, we have to prepare for it. Some people are speaking about my election, Lok Sabha election. I have not yet decided whether I will contest or not, I'm still in confusion, because I'm feeling enough about politics," Suresh said. Addressing a party meeting here, he said, "So in the days to come based on your advice I will decide. My next aim is to serve the people and work for the development of the constituency." Amid talks to field him from the Ramanagara segment to contest the Assembly polls recently, Suresh had said that he was not interested in coming to .

Karnataka BJP holds meeting to introspect on Assembly election defeat

Karnataka BJP party is holding a series of day-long meetings on Thursday to introspect the humiliating defeat in the recently concluded Assembly polls

Contractors cannot undertake shoddy construction using public money: HC

The Karnataka High Court has rejected the petition by a construction company seeking the return of the bank guarantee which was encashed by the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSPHIDC) for alleged shoddy construction of police quarters by the firm. The High Court also directed that engineers involved in shoddy constructions using public money be brought to book. Citing earlier Supreme Court judgements, the High Court said that bank guarantees were not for show and the corporation had done the right thing. "What would unmistakably emerge is that the Bank Guarantee is not furnished for it to be photo-framed and hung on the wall, it has a purpose. The purpose is redeemed by the Corporation and cannot be found fault with." PG Setty Construction Technology Pvt Ltd had approached the High Court after KSPHIDC encashed the bank guarantee of Rs 1,15,13,500 for allegedly shoddy construction of 144 police quarters in Mandya and Chamarajanagar district

Will review law banning cow slaughter, amendment to APMC Act: Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said he will review the anti-cow slaughter law and amendments to the Land Reforms Act and the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee Act. The chief minister was speaking to farmer leaders who called on him to convey their apprehensions about corporate agriculture, a government press release said. "Farmer leaders expressed concern that the small and marginal farmers, who constitute more than 85 per cent of the total agriculturists in the state, will be affected due to the Union government's decision to introduce corporate agriculture," the statement said. The CM said he will hold a separate meeting to discuss in detail the policies and regulations required for the development of the agriculture sector, the release said. The Congress had opposed the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020 and amendments to Land Reforms (Amendment) Act as well as the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (Amendment) Act, 2020, ..

GST evasion notice: Revenue dept to move SC against HC relief to Gameskraft

The notice was issued by the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) in September 2022 in which it alleged that GamesKraft escaped GST payment

Enrolment for free power scheme to start June 15: Karnataka energy minister

Two days after rolling out the Gruha Jyoti scheme offering free power up to 200 units to domestic consumers, Karnataka Energy Minister K J George on Wednesday said the enrolment to avail of the benefit will start from June 15. People who want to get this facility should enroll through the Seva Sindhu portal of the state government from June 15 to July 5, he said. Applicants will be required to upload proof that they are the resident of the building to avail of the benefit, he said. According to George, the documents that need to be uploaded in the Seva Sindhu application to register for the scheme are any of the documents such as Aadhaar card, voter ID, title deed or lease or rental agreement. The minister said that in the next two days a policy will be brought to include new buildings or new tenants. As per the scheme, electricity supply companies will determine the average consumption of power in the last fiscal, based on which each consumer's average consumption will be ...

K'taka caste census: Govt's decision may stir debate, threaten Cong unity

With the announcement, the report prepared at a cost of Rs 162 crore languishing for eight years will now be accepted by the government