Buses to go off roads on July 25 as unions call stir

Bengaluru, Feb 26: Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah should issue strict orders to the police in Delhi to act in nation's interest and control the ongoing violence.

"Distressing scenes in Delhi!! #DelhiBurning as a result of ulterior motives of divisive forces within our Country. Police have completely failed in their responsibility. People have to remain calm and promote peace in the area for their own benefit," Siddaramaiah tweeted.

"Seven people dead and hundreds are injured, Amit Shah should issue strict orders to police to act in nation's interest and not in the interest of few people. As Gandhiji said, An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Peace and harmony should be our moto," he added.
Siddaramaiah further stated that the "triggering point of the #DelhiViolence seems to be the inciting speech of BJP leader Kapil Mishra."

"This actually qualifies for a sedition case as it was aimed at disturbing national peace and security. Police have to arrest him and bring normalcy in Delhi," he wrote.

Siddaramaiah has further asked Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to be careful "before situation goes out of hand."

"Delhi riots are in front of eyes. There will be tough situation here in state as well if those loose tongue leaders in BJP are not stopped in the state," he wrote.
As many as 18 people have lost their lives and around 190 are injured in the violence that has been raging in parts of North-East Delhi from Monday.

Bengaluru, Mar 6: School children in Karnataka will have 'bag-free' days on two Saturdays in a month as part of efforts to create a joyful learning experience, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced on Thursday. By making two Saturdays in a month as bag-free days, "Sambhrama Shanivara" will be observed with the objective of creating a joyful learning experience by reducing the burden of text books, he said, presenting the 2020-21 budget in the state assembly.

"The main purpose of such days is to create awareness, by means of activities, on topics that are necessary for students to be ideal citizens," he added.

He also said for the first time in the history of the state his government presented a "child budget", making it a special feature of the budget.

All the policies and programmes for the development of children below the age of 18 are consolidated and presented in this budget and as many as 279 programmes involving Rs.36,340crore, which is 15.28 per cent of the total volume of the Budget, have been earmarked.

English medium of instruction would be given along with Urdu in 400 government Urdu schools and Rs one crore will be provided during 2020-21 for this purpose, Mr Yediyurappa said.

For the education of children of auto drivers, up to Rs 2,000 would be provided annually to each family. For this purpose, Rs 40 crore will be provided in the coming fiscal, the Chief Minister added.

Bengaluru, May 29: Seven out of ten (72 per cent) workers in Karnataka reported having lost their employment during the COVID-19-induced lockdown, according to findings of a survey by Azim Premji University, in collaboration with ten civil society organisations.

The university said in a statement it conducted "a detailed" phone survey of 5,000 workers across 12 states in the country, to gauge the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on employment, livelihoods, and access to government relief schemes.

The survey covered self-employed, casual, and regular wage and salaried workers and it released the findings for Karnataka on Thursday.

Seventy-six per cent of urban workers and 66 per cent of rural workers lost their employment, the survey findings said.

For non-agricultural self-employed workers and wage workers, who were still employed, average weekly earnings fell by two-third.

More than four in ten salaried workers (44 per cent) saw either a reduction in their salary or received no salary during the lockdown.

Six out of ten households reported that they did not have enough money to buy even a weeks worth of essential items, according to the survey.

Eight out ten households reported a reduction in food intake, while less than three in ten vulnerable households (27 per cent) in urban Karnataka received any form of cash transfer from the government, it said.

In summary, the disruption in the Karnatakas economy and labour markets is enormous. Livelihoods have been devastated at unprecedented levels during the lockdown.

The recovery from this could be slow and very painful, the statement said.

As a response to the findings of this survey, the team which has conducted the survey suggested a universalisation of the PDS to expand its reach and implementation of expanded rations for at least the next six months.

It suggested cash transfers equal to at least Rs.7000 per month for two months, and proactive steps like expansion of MGNREGA, introduction of urban employment guarantee, and investment in universal basic services, among others.