Congress will convince SDPI to withdraw nomination but BJP will retain DK: Kateel

Bengaluru, May 9: The Karnataka government may not extend the daily working hours from 8 to 12, with Labour Minister A Shivaram Hebbar saying on Saturday that the move would neither benefit the industries nor workers.

Hebbar said that the proposal has not been discussed and it may come for final deliberations next week. He also noted that some States have already extended the working hours. More than extending working hours, there should be employment to be given. If there are no jobs what can be done by extending working hours? If it is done (working hours extended to 12 hours), it would neither benefit workers nor industries. Let's see what happens, he said.

Asked if the government was in favour of the extension, he said, "I don't think it will be ready for the (12 hour) proposal." Meanwhile, the Minister also said that their top priority now was to see that all MSMEs start operating again, salaries are paid to employees and there are no job losses for any reason. If industries don't reopen, how can workers get their employment? We should think in parallel, Hebbar said adding, the government was keeping the interests of both MSMEs and workers in mind.

He urged the Centre to offer a relief package to the MSME sector, saying it is facing very difficult times due to the adverse impact of the COVID-19-induced lockdown, and also noting its role in generating large-scale employment and feeding large industries.

The BJP-led government has done whatever within its limitations to help the MSMEs, he said. Earlier this week, the Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced that the monthly fixed charges of electricity bills of MSMEs would be waived for two months. MSMEs have suffered huge production losses due to the lockdown. It takes some time for them to revive, Yediyurappa had said. The Chief Minister had also said payment of fixed charges in the electricity bills of the large industries will be deferred without penalty and interest for a period of two months.

Chikkamagaluru, Jun 13: Deputy Commissioner Dr Bagadi Gautham said that movement of heavy vehicles has been banned from Tanikodi to S K Border on NH 169 (Mangaluru to Solapur) from June 15 to August 15.

In an official statement issued here on Friday evening, he said that due to heavy rain lashing in the District the minor bridges on the stretch at Umbalagere, Goravanahalli and Gulaganji are in a dilapidated condition. As a precautionary measure, the movement of heavy vehicles has been banned.

As an alternative, all the vehicles (below 15 tonnes) from Chikmagalur can travel via Baliho Nur-Magundi-Kalasa-Kudremukh-SK Border. The vehicles from NR Pura (below 15 tonnes) should travel via Koppa-Hariharapura-Bidaragodu-Agumbe.

Bengaluru, Jul 17: Karnataka Minister for Health and Family Welfare B Sriramulu on Thursday clarified that his remarks have been misinterpreted, wherein he apparently said that ''only God can save people from Covid''.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader slammed KPCC President D K Shivakumar for spreading false information and said that my words were not meant to cause panic among the masses.

''Respected Shivakumar, this is a clarification regarding my words that have been misinterpreted and misunderstood.

While responding to claims of the opposition that the government’s negligence, irresponsibility and the lack of coordination among ministers are responsible for the rise in cases in the state, I stated that ‘these accusations are far from the truth. People need to be aware and cautious to avoid the spread of the virus. This plays a vital role in controlling the pandemic. If we fail at this crucial step the situation can get complicated. And if things go worse, then only God can save us'', Mr Sriramulu said in a series of posts on Twitter