Bengaluru: BBMP municipality marshals make announcements on a microphone for social distancing and wearing of masks, amid spread of coronavirus, at a city market in Bengaluru, Tuesday, April 26, 2022. (PTI Photo)Karnataka News Highlights: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai Wednesday told media persons that the Covid-19 situation in the state was under control while the positivity rate in Bengaluru has slightly increased after April 9. Earlier in the day, Bommai had participated in a virtual Covid-19 review meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Karnataka CM said the state government was taking up vaccination of children in the age group of 6-12 years in school premises, as advised by the Union government.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday was non-committal on any further cut in fuel tax, as he maintained that any decision in this regard will be taken after looking at the economy of the state. He said this as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday flagging higher fuel prices in many opposition-ruled states, urged them to reduce VAT in “national interest” to benefit the common man and work in the spirit of cooperative federalism in this time of global crisis.
In other news, a unique type of rock-cut cave from the Megalithic period (800 BC to 500 BC) was been found at a government cashew plantation in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district. A team led by T Murugeshi, associate professor and head of the department of history and archaeology, MSRS College at Shirva in Udupi district made the discovery at the plantation located in Aturu-Kundaje near Ramakunja of Kadaba taluk.
Also, The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) sought a report from the district administration after a Hindu outfit alleged that a school in Bengaluru has made parents sign an undertaking during admission that they would not object to their children carrying the Bible to school.
Bengaluru: A vendor covers her face as BBMP municipality marshals make announcements on a microphone for social distancing and wearing of masks, amid spread of coronavirus, at a city market in Bengaluru, Tuesday, April 26, 2022. (PTI Photo)
Bengaluru has got India’s first artificial intelligence- and sensor-based bicycle counter, an electronic device that counts cycles at a location for a certain period of time, installed to encourage cycling.
The bicycle counter was built by an 18-year-old avid cyclist, Nihar Thakkar, and was installed on Tuesday next to the Outer Ring Road cycle lane in Doddanekundi in the Karnataka capital in collaboration with the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) and residents of Doddanekundi. Read More
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai Wednesday told media persons that the Covid-19 situation in the state was under control while the positivity rate in Bengaluru has slightly increased after April 9. Earlier in the day, Bommai had participated in a virtual Covid-19 review meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Karnataka CM said the state government was taking up vaccination of children in the age group of 6-12 years in school premises, as advised by the Union government.
Notably, Modi had said that the Centre will organise special drive-ins at schools to vaccinate children in the 6-12 age group. Read More
The Karnataka government will appoint 10 forest settlement officers who will work towards notifying Section 4 forest lands as reserve forests. Most of these lands were notified in 1920 as forests under Section 4 of the Karnataka Forest Act but even after several years, the final settlement towards declaring them as reserve forests has not been completed.
According to the Act, to designate any piece of land as a reserved forest, the government first issues a notification under Section 4 specifying, as nearly as possible, the extent and limits of such land. The government then appoints a forest settlement officer who concludes the final settlement. Read More
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday was non-committal on any further cut in fuel tax, as he maintained that any decision in this regard will be taken after looking at the economy of the state.
He said this as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday flagging higher fuel prices in many opposition-ruled states, urged them to reduce VAT in "national interest" to benefit the common man and work in the spirit of cooperative federalism in this time of global crisis.
"He (PM) gave an example. In November when the central government reduced excise duty, some states too reduced, it has benefited the people of the state and it is cooperative federalism. He said it will help if other states reduce tax as well, so that neighbouring states are not affected," Bommai told reporters in response to a question. (PTI)
Bengaluru Metro’s tunnel boring machine (TBM) Urja tunnelling between Cantonment and Pottery Town stations achieves a progress of 27 meters of Tunnelling work in a single day on 25 April, which is the best till date according to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL).
Deployed by Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Urja was the first TBM to commence drilling works in August 2020.
Karnataka Additional Director General of Police (recruitment wing) Amrit Paul was shunted on Wednesday and replaced by senior IPS officer R Hithendra. The move comes days after a scam was unearthed in the recruitment process of police sub-inspectors.
In October last year, 54,041 candidates had appeared for the examination for the posts of police sub-inspectors. As many as 545 posts were to be filled but soon several officers were accused of a scam in the recruitment process. The Criminal Investigation Department was entrusted with the probe and till now, 14 persons have been arrested. Read More
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Wednesday said it has commenced the Main Airframe Fatigue Test (MAFT) of Light Combat Aircraft Mark 1 (LCA Mk1) airframe at its Ground Test Centre in Bengaluru.
HAL sources said that MAFT is conducted to understand how the aircraft structure performs in real conditions. The aircraft structure is mounted on a test rig and inspected to check for any cracks or damage. Owing to repeated flying cycles, the metal elements of the aircraft get weakened with time and they require repair, they said. Read More
Over 6 lakh ‘B-Khata’ property owners can get an ‘A-khata’ certificate from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) by paying betterment charges.
‘A-Khata’ properties are those with genuine documents and are verified by the state agencies. ‘B-Khata’ properties have anomalies in documentation and include properties in violation of byelaws and buildings constructed without building plan approval. Since 2008, BBMP stopped issuing ‘A-Khata’ to the properties which are in violation of byelaws and later the civic body started maintaining B register which came to be known as B Khata properties. Read More
Karnataka Education Minister BC Nagesh said that Quran and Bible are religious texts and Bhagavad Gita is not a religious text but a moral book which may be included in the school syllabus.
His reaction came after The archbishop of Archdiocese of Bangalore Peter Machado had pointed to Bhagwat Gita and said if this can also be considered as inducing students to be converted to Hindu religion.
Karnataka BJP leader and Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Wednesday said many leaders from other parties will be joining the saffron party ahead of assembly elections next year, in the wake of its victory in four states and the stand taken by the Congress on the hijab issue.
He said the BJP will win Karnataka assembly polls, like it did in Uttar Pradesh last month. "Not one or two, many people (leaders) will come (to BJP), arrangements are on for the induction of many people, after BJP's victory in four states and the stand taken by the Congress on hijab and other issues," Ashoka said.
Pointing out that the Congress did not take up the hijab issue in the assembly session that went on for a month, but went on an overdrive over the issue outside the House, he said, "they were violent outside but silent in the assembly." (PTI)
The January 2021 notification by the state labour department, which allows commercial establishments employing 10 or more employees to function 24×7, has been derided by the resident welfare associations (RWA) of Bengaluru.
“The notification not only poses multiple dangers to citizens but will also infringe on the Fundamental Rights. To the best of our knowledge, this has been passed without any public consultation. The labour department under Section 12 of the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishment Act has the right to change Opening/Closing timings of the establishment and not to make a decision that has far reaching impact on this city. While we understand the need for medical establishments to be open 24×7, it does not make sense for all commercial establishments, especially restaurants, bars, delivery aggregators and supermarkets,” said Sneha Nandihal, co-founder of I Change Indiranagar, a federation of RWAs in Indiranagar. Read More
Nearly three years after it came to power in Karnataka, the BJP, which has always kept at least four vacancies open in the state Cabinet to ward off dissension, is now set to fill all 34 ministerial berths available in the state with just a year left for the Assembly elections. Several political developments over the past week suggest that the BJP is preparing for a ministerial overhaul in the final lap of its current tenure in Karnataka.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is expected to travel to New Delhi shortly to meet party leaders to decide the shape of the BJP government in its final year. On Tuesday, Bommai indicated that Cabinet changes are in the offing with efforts to represent all regions and castes of the state in the proposed changes. Johnson T A writes
A police inspector and three constables were suspended in Mangaluru, Karantaka, for allegedly thrashing three right-wing activists who were detained for heckling a Muslim tender-coconut seller.
Mangaluru police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said said that Bajpe police sub-inspector PG Sandesh and constables Praveen, Sunil and Syed Imtiyaz had been suspended after being accused of assaulting the trio in police custody.
Ismail, who has been a vendor in the city for 15 years, was stopped by three right-wing workers in the wake of the recent campaign against Muslim traders in the state, according to the police. On Sunday, Ismail filed a complaint against Mahesh Kateel and his associates and they were detained for questioning by the police. Protests erupted after their detention and a man who barged into the Bajpe police station was allegedly assaulted.
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Wednesday said it has commenced the Main Airframe Fatigue Test (MAFT) of Light Combat Aircraft Mk1 airframe at its Ground Test Centre of the Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) here. After inaugurating the MAFT facility, Arup Chatterjee, Director (Engineering and Research and Development) of HAL said, "Despite the setbacks due to Covid-19 pandemic, HAL has been able to commence the MAFT testing within the timelines planned."
As per the military airworthiness requirements, MAFT has to demonstrate the capability of the airframe to withstand four times the service life. These tests will be carried out on the LCA (Air Force) Mk1 airframe over a period of eight to nine years. The successful completion of MAFT will qualify the LCA (Air Force) Mk1 airframe for its full-service life, HAL said in a statement. (PTI)
Karnataka's Minister for Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, C N Ashwath Narayanl said that the state's software sector is likely to generate at least 30 lakh jobs over the next five years. The minister also said that over 5 lakh jobs will be created every year in the formal sector, and more in the informal sectors.
"The government has been providing apprenticeship training for job aspirants and polytechnics have been upgraded to suit the present day demands. It has been aimed to increase the economy of the state by four fold by 2025," he added.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will participate in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video conference with all state chief ministers on the emerging Covid-19 situation on Wednesday, from Mangaluru. Bommai, who will be on a day-long visit to Dakshina Kannada district on Wednesday, will attend the video conference from the facility at the office of DK zilla panchayat, an official statement here said on Tuesday.
All arrangements are being made in the zilla panchayat office for the Chief Minister's participation in the PM's video conference which is scheduled at noon. Bommai will later inaugurate the 'Annadasoha building' of Excellent PU College in Moodbidri at 3 pm. He will also visit the popular Jain basadi (temple). (PTI)
A unique type of rock-cut cave from the Megalithic period (800 BC to 500 BC) has been found at a government cashew plantation in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district. A team led by T Murugeshi, associate professor and head of the department of history and archaeology, MSRS College at Shirva in Udupi district made the discovery at the plantation located in Aturu-Kundaje near Ramakunja of Kadaba taluk, a release here said.
This is probably the first rock engraving dating back to the Megalithic period found in Dakshina Kannada district, Murugeshi said in the release. Megalithic culture was dominant in south India and known for its intricate burial patterns. (PTI)
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) signed a contract in Bengaluru on Tuesday for the co-development and co-production of the Long Range Dual Band Infra-Red Search and Track System (IRST) for the Su-30 MKI under the MAKE-II procedure of Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 as a part of the Make in India initiative.
Projects under the ‘Make-II’ category will involve prototype development of equipment/system/platform or their upgrades or their subsystems/sub-assembly/assemblies/components. No government funding is provided for prototype development purposes. Read more
A key accused arrested by the Karnataka Police’s criminal investigation department (CID) for allegedly rigging the recruitment examination for 545 police sub-inspectors in the state was also recently linked to cheating by a candidate during the public works department (PWD) engineers recruitment examination in Bengaluru.
The key lynchpin behind the alleged police sub-inspectors recruitment exam fraud, Rudragouda D Patil alias R D Pati (38), a Congress block president for the Afzalpur region of the Kalaburagi district, was arrested last weekend along with his brother Mahantesh Patil. He was earlier named in December 2021 as one of the accused in facilitating the use of a bluetooth device by a candidate to receive answers during a recruitment exam for PWD engineers conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), said officials. Patil and the president of a Kalaburagi exam training institution obtained anticipatory bail in the case earlier this year. Read more
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has instructed all its midi bus drivers not to switch off the engine at traffic signals. The directive comes after an initial investigation into three incidents of Ashok Leyland midi buses in Bengaluru catching fire in the last three months revealed that the fires originated from the engine area.
“We have advised the drivers not to switch off and restart the engine at every traffic signal to avoid an electrical shock circuit. Earlier, the engine was switched off to save diesel. Now, we have instructed the drivers to start the bus during the commencement of the trip in bus depots and to only turn it off at the end of the trip,” BMTC Managing Director Anbu Kumar said. Read more
In the backdrop of rising complaints of pre-wedding shoots inside the Lalbagh in Bengaluru, the Karnataka horticulture department has imposed a ban on carrying digital cameras inside the park. The authorities say another major reason behind the ban was that the flash of the cameras distract the bees. The violation of the new norm attracts a fine of Rs 500.
Deputy director of horticulture (Lalbagh) Kusuma G told The Indian Express that the order was passed more than two years ago. “It is only now that this is being highlighted. The major reason was that the bees get distracted due to the flash of the camera. Moreover, the pre-wedding shoots inside the park used to put other visitors at discomfort and we had received several complaints in this regard. So, the issue was put before the advisory committee which gave a green light to the banning of digital cameras. Security personnel have been asked to check the cameras since many try to sneak them in.” Read more
The Criminal Investigation Department of Karnataka Police has obtained a non-bailable warrant against a former BJP functionary from Kalaburagi region for alleged facilitation of cheating by candidates during a recruitment exam for the post of police sub-inspectors held last year.
A school run by the former president of the BJP women’s unit in Kalaburagi, Divya Hagaragi, 41, has been found so far to be one of the main exam centres where candidates were helped in scoring high marks by invigilators and others on October 3, 2021. Read more
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has sought a report from the district administration after a Hindu outfit alleged that a school in Bengaluru has made parents sign an undertaking during admission that they would not object to their children carrying the Bible to school.
On Tuesday, members of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, which has accused Clarence High School of encouraging conversion, met Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh and submitted a memorandum, seeking intervention. Read more
Amid fresh Covid-19 concerns in different parts of the country and apprehensions of a possible fourth wave of the pandemic, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday indicated that precautionary and surveillance measures may be reintroduces at airports and border districts of the state, depending on the Centre’s advisory. He appealed to people to follow precautionary measures like wearing masks and maintaining social distance to control the spread of virus.
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