India ranks 103rd among 119 countries on Hunger Index; worse than Bangladesh, Myanmar

Bengaluru, Jun 22: Senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad and BJP’s MTB Nagaraj, one of the defectors who helped the saffron party come to power in Karnataka, were unanimously elected to the Legislative Council along with five others on Monday. 

All seven were declared as “duly elected” by Legislative Assembly Secretary MK Vishalakshi, the returning officer for the biennial election to the Legislative Council. 

Hariprasad and Naseer Ahmed of the Congress, Nagaraj, R Shankar, Prathap Simha Nayak and Sunil Vallyapur of the BJP and Govinda Raju of the JD(S) are now MLCs. 

While Ahmed was an incumbent who will get another term, the six others will replace Jayamma, MC Venugopal, NS Bore Raju, HM Revanna and TA Sharavana and DU Mallikarjuna whose term ends June 30. 

While an election was scheduled June 29, it was not necessary as only seven candidates were in the fray for the seven seats on Monday, which was the last date for withdrawal of nominations. The nominations of A Yadavanahalli PC Krishnegowda and Mandikkal Nagaraja were rejected. 

With their rejection as MLCs, Nagaraj and Shankar - who jumped ship to the BJP last year - will now look to become ministers in Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s Cabinet. Both Nagaraj and Shankar were ministers when they resigned and defected from the Congress-JD(S) coalition. While Nagaraj lost the December 2019 bypolls, Shankar did not contest. 

Nagaraj, Shankar and Vallyapure were Yediyurappa’s picks for the Council, whereas Nayak is said to have been backed by BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel. 

There were many aspirants in the Congress for the Council berths, but Hariprasad and Ahmed were picked, given their experience. Hariprasad is widely believed to counter Siddaramaiah, who leads the party in the Assembly. 

Raju of the JD(S) runs a poultry business in Kolar and the choice of a fresh face is seen as the party leadership steering clear of any trouble as there were many asking for the ticket. 

Bengaluru, May 10 The asymptomatic and healthy people among international passengers will now have to undergo institutional quarantine for 14 days, according to the new standard operating procedure (SoP) issued by the Karnataka government for a third time.

The SoP, which has been revised twice, was issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department on Saturday, May 9.

The international passengers will be divided into two categories upon their arrival at the airports. Symptomatic will be directly sent to the covid-19 hospitals. Asymptomatic will not be allowed to go home directly. They will be sent for mandatory quarantine for 14 days in hotels and guest houses. 

Earlier, international passengers had to undergo seven days of institutional and seven days of home quarantine.

Passengers will also be tested only twice — once on arrival and for the second time on the 14th day — instead of the earlier decision to test thrice. They will be discharged from the facility if they test negative.

The first group of 350 people are expected to arrive from London at 3 am on Monday at the Kempegowda International Airport, said Lakshman Reddy, Joint Director, Social Welfare Department. 

Flights are expected from Singapore on May 13, Jeddah on May 14 and San Francisco on May 15. 

Among the stranded include 4,408 tourists and visitors, 3,084 students, 2,784 migrants and 557 ship crew.

Kasaragod, Apr 10: Eleven people died so far in Kerala's northern district Kasargod as they could not access medical facilities in Mangaloru since the border roads were blocked by the Karnataka Government, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Addressing a press conference at the Government Secretariat here, the Chief Minister said, "It is really unfortunate that people from Kasargod district in Kerala are still being denied treatment in hospitals at Mangalore in Karnataka State."

"We will improve the medical facilities in Kasargod and if necessary, patients will be airlifted to the neighbouring districts in Kerala to provide emergency medical assistance," he added.