High alert in Kodagu after Sri Lanka serial blasts

Bengaluru, Apr 25: Former Karnataka Health minister and senior Congress leader Dr H C Mahadevappa on Saturday urged the state government to chalk out a comprehensive plan to conduct tests among the vulnerable sections in the society to impede the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

Speaking to media persons, Dr Mahadevappa, felt that only restricting people to remain indoors will not suffice to tackle the spread of the contagious disease he said that "There needs to step up testing the people especially belonging to the vulnerable sections of the society".

Maintaining that the COVID-19 disease, which has progressed itself as a pandemic, across the globe, former Health Minister said that "there is also a need to fight the menace with multiple dimension, as it has potential to cause damage not only the social life of the people but also their livelihood".

Bengaluru, Jun 4: Assuring support to reform the police department, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Thursday directed officials to strengthen Cyber Crime, Economic Offences & Narcotics (CEN) stations and forensic labs in the state.

The Chief Minister who held a review of the Home Department, lauded the work of police personnel during the COVID-19 crisis, and promised necessary help to reform the department.

Pointing at the changing scenario, the Chief Minister instructed officials to give priority to strengthen CEN stations, his office said in a release. Similarly, for quick detection of crimes, necessary action will be taken to strengthen forensic labs, he added. During the meeting it was also decided to continue more than 3,000 home guards, who were in the fear of losing jobs, and to deploy them to various departments.

Yediyurappa directed officials to take necessary steps to make home guard services available to private organisations also. Officials informed the Chief Minister that all necessary COVID-19 related precautions have been taken at prisons and no case has been reported so far at jails. They said as per Supreme Court directions, 5,005 people were released on bail and parole, and congestion of prisoners at prisons has been reduced from 110 per cent to 95 per cent.

Yediyurappa also asked the officials to submit a proposal based on facts towards development of basic amenities that comes under the Home Department.

New Delhi, Feb 2: Budget 2020 announcement that insurance behemoth LIC will be listed was well received by market participants who said this will be "IPO of the decade" akin to the Saudi Aramco listing.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) will be listed as part of the government disinvestment initiative.

A "highlight of the budget is the LIC IPO, which is akin to the Saudi Aramco listing for Indian capital markets, and will be IPO of the decade," Vijay Bhushan, President, Association of National Exchanges Members of India (ANMI) said.

According to Krishna Kumar Karwa, Managing Director, Emkay Global Financial Services, the LIC IPO will be a big positive for corporate governance and transparency and will open up one more avenue for fund raising for the government over the years.

Metropolitan Stock Exchange, Interim CEO, Balu Nair said: "The LIC listing will be eagerly awaited by investors and will provide huge fillip to capital raising through the primary market." The government proposes to sell a part of its holding in LIC through an initial public offer, Sitharaman said while presenting Budget 2020-21.

"The government will sell part of LIC through its listing in the stock market which is also a positive trigger for the market," Amit Gupta, CO-Founder and CEO, TradingBells.

Jaideep Hansraj, MD and CEO of Kotak Securities said listing of LIC would help bridge a gap in the Fiscal Deficit for FY21.

Currently, the government owns the entire 100 per cent stake in LIC.

Saudi Aramco shares were listed in December last year.